The Nice School of Magic
by Healer Pomfrey
Summary: Harry is Severus' son, however, Dumbledore forbids the Potions Master to see him let alone take the one-year-old in - a wise decision? Completely AU, partly OOC.
1. Chapter 1

**The Nice School of Magic**  
><strong>by Healer Pomfrey<strong>

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
>I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.<em>

* * *

><p>Severus Snape stared at the house in Godric's Hollow in shock. His former wife dead, her second husband too, and his child was being brought away by Hagrid.<p>

_'No,'_ his unconsciousness shouted. _'He belongs to me.'_ But he was so deep in shock that not a word left his mouth as he stood there, mourning about the love of his life. Wrapped up in dark thoughts, he returned to Hogwarts.

HP

Back in the solace of his quarters, Severus spent the night mourning, unable to prevent himself from crying. However, early in the morning, he decided that he had to get a grip on himself and be strong - for his son.

As soon as he could assume that the headmaster had to be up and about, he found himself on his way to the old wizard's office.

"How nice of you to visit me on this happy day," Albus greeted him, offering a lemon drop - a gesture that used to drive Severus nuts, considering that the headmaster should have comprehended by now that Severus greatly disliked such kind of sweets.

"For me, this day is everything else than happy," Severus replied, grumpier than he usually conversed with the headmaster. "I know that the Dark Lord is gone for now, but Lily was my former wife. I only let her go because I thought she'd be safer with Potter," he blurted out. "Where is Harry by the way?" he then queried. "He's my son, and I wish to take him in."

"No my boy," that's not possible," Dumbledore replied in a stern voice. "It's adamant that he stays with his relatives, as Petunia will be able to keep the boy safe."

Severus let out a snort. "She hates magic with a passion." He pulled a copy of his copy of Lily's and James' will out of his robe pocket and handed it to the headmaster.

"Harry is supposed to live with his father, Severus Snape, or if that's impossible for some reason, with his godparents Alice Longbottom or Sirius Black. Under no circumstances is he to be placed with Petunia Dursley," he cited from the will.

"Severus," Albus replied in a strict voice. "I know about the circumstances better than Lily and James did, and it is absolutely necessary for the boy to live with his relatives. You better remember this if you wish to remain at Hogwarts."

"Yes sir," Severus replied, clearly feeling himself dismissed. 'You're not going to play with me, old man,' he thought, grimly, as he returned to the dungeons. 'Especially not on the cost of my son.'

Glad that it was the weekend, he spent the whole day pondering what to do. Finally, he had an idea, which he considered during the following weeks, before he spoke with Minerva and Poppy, his best friends, about it. They were the only people, who had known about his marriage with Lily and about the fact that little Harry was his son.

"I'm considering leaving Hogwarts and claiming Harry as my son," he told his friends, when the three of them had tea in his quarters on New Year's Eve.

"What?" Minerva blurted out, seemingly shocked.

"Severus, don't make any rushed decisions," Poppy advised him.

Severus rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Apart from the fact that both of you should know me better, if I wanted to make rushed decisions, I'd already have collected Harry from his atrocious relatives. In fact, I'm making a plan..." He slowly trailed off, not one hundred percent certain if he was ready to already share his idea with his colleagues.

Seeing his friends stare at him in expectation, he explained, "When Lily married Potter, he gave her a huge Manor that his family owned in the South of France. I have once been there together with Lily, James and Harry. I don't know if you're aware of the fact that Lily was a Seer. Anyway, she knew that she and James were going to die, which is why she gave me a copy of their will, and which is also why she gave the Manor to Harry and me."

"Don't tell me you're going to live far away, just with Harry," Minerva replied, giving him a confused look.

Severus smirked. "Well," he said, thoughtfully. "Not exactly. I was rather thinking of using the Manor to found a new, magical school. Maybe even some British students would prefer a school right on the Mediterranean sea to Hogwarts, which is controlled by an old coot?"

Minerva and Poppy exchanged a glance.

"Very well, headmaster Snape, are you still in need of a healer and a Transfiguration professor?" Minerva queried, apparently highly amused.

"Rolanda will join us in any case. Let's plan everything in detail over the next few months," Poppy suggested. "Maybe we can go and have a look sometime during the summer holidays."

"That's a good idea," Minerva agreed immediately, giving Severus a questioning look.

"Of course," the Potions Master concurred, inwardly feeling very much relieved by his friends' reactions.

"I'll carefully speak with Pomona and Filius," Poppy promised, causing Minerva to nod, eagerly.

"Albus won't know what happened," she threw in, grinning. "But he really deserves it for leaving Harry at the Dursleys'. I'm very much upset with him, too."

HP

The three friends planned their stunt very carefully. During the following five years, they visited the Manor, which was situated on the outskirts of Nice just beside a large, white beach, at every opportunity - sometimes even during the weekends. First, they planned the school in detail. The Manor was a three-storey building facing the sea. The first floor was supposed to house an entrance hall, equipped with a large fireplace, suitable for international Floo travel, a huge dining hall, an enormous library that could well rival the one at Hogwarts as well as study rooms for each year, while all the classrooms should be situated on the second floor, facing the back garden. On the sea side of the second floor were the teachers' offices. The third floor was going to contain the common rooms for each year, the dormitories and on the other side of the floor the teachers' private quarters as well as the hospital wing.

Thirty house-elves were living at the Manor, and Severus, Minerva and Poppy instructed them in detail what changes they wanted to be done before they were going to come back to the Manor the next time.

HP

While being at Hogwarts, Minerva used her connections to contact several people, who she deemed suitable as teachers for the new school, and of whom she knew that they were not overly close to Albus Dumbledore. She also made an exact copy of the book of magical children in Britain.

Pomona Sprout and Filius Flitwick immediately decided to join their colleagues. However, Severus and his friends decided to wait a few years and only open the school, when Harry was eight years old. The school was going to take students from the age of eight, so that the boy could become a first-year student right away.

However, in the summer before Harry was going to become six, something happened that made Severus spontaneously change his plan.

HP

Since the headmaster had forbidden him to maintain any contact whatsoever to Harry, Severus did not go to openly visit his son. However, he made it a habit to travel to the Dursleys' residence during the nights from Saturday to Sunday. Knowing that the headmaster usually went to bed at midnight at the latest, he apparated to Little Whinging around that time and entered the small cupboard, where his son was residing, in his Animagus form. Reaching the cupboard, he transformed into his human form and magically checked on his child.

Soon after Harry had been taken to his atrocious relatives, he had already noticed that they obviously neglected him, which was why he spelled a strong nutrient potion into the boy's system every time he went to check on the child.

Sometimes, the boy was ill - in fact much too often for Severus' liking - and was in dire need of potions, of which Severus always carried a small assortment with him when he visited his son.

One night, when Severus transformed into his human form, the boy was awake and spoke to him.

"Hello," Harry addressed him in a small voice. "Who are you? Are you the kind person who always makes me feel well overnight?"

"Hello Harry," Severus whispered back. "I'm your daddy, Harry, and in two more years, I'm going to take you away from here," he promised the boy.

"But you can't be my daddy," Harry replied, incredulously. "I'm only Harry, a freak and a burden to all the good people."

Severus stared at the boy, incredulously, however, his disbelief turned into rage when the child continued.

"I had hoped that you'd come tonight, because my head and my eyes hurt so much."

"What happened?" Severus asked, alarmed, unsure if the boy would panic upon seeing him pointing his wand at him, as he surely was not used to magic. He listened, impatiently, when the boy mumbled something about accidentally burning dinner and having been hit with the hot fry pan.

"Harry," he interrupted the boy. "I'm going to take my wand and check on you now. Then I'll see what I can do to make you better. All right?"

Apparently, the boy felt too miserable to care and merely nodded, before he gripped his head at the pain, which the small movement had caused. Severus carefully cast a diagnostic spell that revealed that the boy was suffering from a concussion, light burns on his head and a moderate fever.

Severus' decision was spontaneous but firm. After spelling a few potions straight into the boy's system, he whispered to his son in determination. "Harry, do you want to come with me and live with me?"

"Yes," Harry replied, giving him a hopeful look.

"All right, son. Hold on tightly," Severus said in a soft voice and apparated away, cradling the child close.

_tbc... (if there is enough positive interest, otherwise I will only continue it on FB)_


	2. Chapter 2

**The Nice School of Magic**  
><strong>by Healer Pomfrey<strong>

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
>I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.<em>

* * *

><p>Arriving at The Nice School of Magic, Severus carried Harry into the room in his quarters, which the house-elves had already prepared for the child. He gently tucked the boy into his bed, making sure that his condition had not significantly worsened due to the apparition.<p>

"Let me introduce you to one of the house-elves," he said, lightly, "and then you're going to sleep. It's far beyond midnight already." With that he called Tina, who was not only the youngest of the elves but also the one who had been the first to opt caring for his son, when he had once asked the elves.

"This is Tina," he introduced the elf to the child. "Tina, this is Harry."

"Hello Master Harry," Tina greeted the boy in a soft voice. "Please call Tina at any time if I cans do something for yous."

"Hello," Harry mumbled, already drifting off to sleep with a small smile playing on his lips.

"I need to return to Hogwarts now," Severus informed the elf. "But I'm going to move in here tomorrow together with my son. Please come to Hogwarts and alert me if Harry has any problems." He left a phial each of the potions that the child needed on the night table and instructed the elf when she had to make Harry drink his potions in case he could not get away from Hogwarts soon enough.

HP

With that Severus stepped through the fireplace into his office at Hogwarts. He called Cicero, his personal house-elf, and informed him of the situation.

"Cicero will pack everything, Master Severus," the relatively tall elf replied in determination.

"Please do so - collect all my personal belongings from my private quarters, my office, my classroom and my lab," Severus instructed the elf. "I wonder if Albus will know that I took Harry from the Dursleys," he mused, aloud.

"I'll go and check if the headmaster knows anything," Cicero promised and popped away, only to return a minute later. "Master Albus and Mistress Minerva are sitting in the headmaster's office talking about possible reasons why the blood wards around the Dursleys' home are coming down," he informed his master.

Severus nodded, contentedly. "Very well," he said, smirking. "I'll wait until Albus informs me of the matter before I hand over my resignation letter."

HP

It was an hour before breakfast that the headmaster called Severus into his office. "Severus," he addressed the younger wizard, seemingly agitated. "The blood wards around the Dursleys' residence are coming down for some reason, and I need you to go and check if Harry is all right."

"What?" Severus asked, incredulously. "All these years, you've forbidden me to do as much as go to see my son, claiming that the blood wards would keep him safe? And now this? That's it, old man. This time, you've gone too far. I'll go, but if I find Harry, I'm going to take him with me." He pulled his letter of resignation out of his robe pocket, added the date and his signature and handed it over to the old wizard. "Good bye Albus," he said, before he left the office in a huff, inwardly grinning. _'That went much better than expected,'_ he thought, when he returned to his quarters to fire call Minerva and Poppy.

HP

"So Albus has to believe that it's his own fault that you left and took Harry with you?" Minerva blurted out in amusement.

"That's brilliant," Poppy agreed.

"Very well," Minerva added, pensively. "I'm going to remain for the week until the end of the school year. That'll give me enough time to speak with the persons who were interested in teaching at the Nice school and inform them that our school is going to open two years earlier than planned, and then I'll follow you to France."

"I shall accompany Severus right away," Poppy decided. "Come Minnie, let's give him our resignation letters before breakfast."

"No Poppy, after breakfast please," Minerva contradicted. "I'm famished."

Grinning, Severus observed how his two best friends left his quarters at Hogwarts, bickering and joking like they always did, before he called Cicero and informed him that he was going to leave right away.

"Master Severus, Misty and Malcolm helped me. All of your belongings are already at the new school," Cicero informed him in apparent excitement.

HP

When Severus arrived at the school in Nice, after making a short detour to the Dursleys' as well as to the British Ministry of Magic in order to gain the guardianship over his son in the magical as well as the Muggle world and to change the boy's name to Harry Severus Snape, his son was still asleep.

_'Thank Merlin,'_ Severus thought. _'I wouldn't want him to wake up here alone, and I doubt that he'll remember Tina, as he was already half asleep when I introduced her to him.' _He conjured a comfortable armchair and made himself comfortable, ready to catch up on some sleep as well.

HP

Severus' mind turned back to awareness, when Poppy entered the room, followed by her personal elf, Misty. She handed Severus a parchment, before she turned to the bed. "Awww," she whispered. "Finally, we have our Harry back." Suddenly becoming aware of the fact that Severus eyed her in clear amusement, quirking an eyebrow in expectation, she remembered to tell him, "Oh right, Minerva wants you to change the invitation letter for the Nice school, copy it a few hundred times and place a charm on the parchments, so that those in the hands of students who aren't interested vanish into thin air as soon as they've read them. You also have to place a charm on it that won't allow anyone to speak about the matter with any teacher at Hogwarts."

"I'll do that," Severus promised, before his attention became diverted, as Harry let out a small moan.

Poppy immediately turned into healer's mode and began to wave her wand over the child, shaking her head in apparent annoyance.

"Hello Harry, do you remember me?" she asked in a soft voice, taking a seat on the edge of the boy's bed.

HP

Harry woke up, noticing that his headache was back full force. He knew that he was not allowed to make any sound, however, he couldn't prevent a small moan to escape his lips. He slowly let his eyes wander around the room, noticing that he was lying in an extremely comfortable bed and that there were two adults with him. One he knew. It was the nice person who regularly came during the night to make him feel better. _'He said he was my daddy,'_ he recalled, just when the woman who was with his daddy began to wave a stick over him - like his daddy had done during the night. _'Why are they doing such a thing?'_ he wondered. To his relief, it did not further hurt, however, he felt a tingling sensation run up and down his body that felt strange but on the other hand familiar.

Finally, the woman stopped what she had been doing and sat on the edge of his bed. "Hello Harry, do you remember me?" she asked, gently.

Harry was just about to deny, when the name 'Aunt Poppy' popped up in his mind like by an invisible force. "Aunt Poppy?" he asked, tentatively.

"Yes my child, I'm your Aunt Poppy," the lady replied, seemingly pleased. "I'm so sorry that you had to live with your relatives, but now you're going to stay here with your father and a few other people who all knew you when you were a baby and who love you very much. Now I need you to drink a few potions for me. Do you think you can do that?" she asked, giving him an expectant look.

_'Potions?'_ Harry wondered, however, he knew better than to ask and merely cast the nice lady a questioning look.

"Potions are like medicine," she explained, "and you need them for your concussion to heal before you can get up and play."

"I'm not allowed medicine," Harry replied in a barely audible voice.

"Harry," his father threw in, his voice sounding very soft and soothing. "Please forget everything that the Dursleys told you. They were not nice people. Of course you're allowed potions when you need them. Poppy," he turned to the lady, "I suggest that you spell them into Harry's stomach for now."

"Yes, that's better," Aunt Poppy agreed, and an instant later, Harry noticed that he suddenly felt much better.

"Thank you," he said, smiling at the nice lady.

"You're very welcome my boy," Poppy replied, smiling. "Don't overly move your head though. Otherwise, it'll hurt again," she advised him, before she once again waved her strange stick over him and finally asked if he felt well enough to get up for breakfast.

"Yes," Harry replied, anxiously, wondering where he could make breakfast.

As soon as he sat up, Aunt Poppy pointed her stick at his much too large clothes, and Harry suddenly felt himself being dressed in comfortable jeans and a white T-shirt, on which grey cats were playing with a red threat of wool. Occasionally, one of the cats let out a small miaow. Harry stared at his T-shirt in amazement and happily followed one of the cats' movement with his forefinger, before all of a sudden, realisation set in. _'Aunt Poppy must be a freak like me.'_

To his surprise, his father led him into the kitchen and made him sit at the table, while Aunt Poppy left after reassuring him that she'd come back later. Harry complied, uncomfortably.

"Harry, do you remember Tina, the house-elf, whom I introduced to you last night?" his father suddenly asked, causing Harry to scrunch his forehead in thought. "You'll meet her again later on," his father said in a soothing voice. "Anyway, this is Cicero, our personal house elf," he continued and called the name, causing a strange creature to pop up right next to the table.

Severus introduced Harry to the elf, before he asked the elf for breakfast, which, to Harry's absolute surprise, popped up on the table an instant later.

HP

Severus was horrified when his son not only hesitated to eat at all, admitting that he was not allowed to eat at the table, and then was not able to stomach more than a few bites.

"Harry, these rooms," he continued to explain to his son, "are our quarters within a new school of magic that we're going to open here in three months' time."

"Magic?" Harry mouthed, giving him a seemingly terrified look.

Severus quirked an eyebrow.

"But there is no such thing as magic," Harry answered the silent question in a small voice. "The Dursleys told me as much."

Severus let out a snort. "Oh Harry, there's magic, and you're wizard just like myself. Aunt Poppy is a witch like your mummy was," he countered, before he enquired, "Have you never done any strange things? Things, which the Dursleys could not do?"

"Yes," Harry replied, seemingly uncomfortably. "That's why they always called me a freak."

"You're not a freak," Severus replied, firmly. "You're a wizard, Harry. However, I believe that you're not fully back to health yet and should go back to bed and try to sleep a little more."

If he had feared that the boy might throw a temper tantrum at his suggestion, he was mistaken, and Harry obediently went back to bed. Severus gently tucked him in and read a story to him from one of the children's books that Tina had brought for the child, noticing that Harry's breathing evened out after a few minutes.

Severus cast a charm at the child that would alert him if he woke up or was in any kind of distress, before he retreated to his office and worked on the invitation letter.

_'Dear student,_

_herewith, we invite you to our newly founded 'Nice School of Magic'. It is a boarding school right on the Mediterranean sea in France and accommodates students from the age of eight until the NEWTs._

_We will teach the same subjects like at Hogwarts plus some additional classes like, for example, Swimming, Latin and Music. However, in contrary to Hogwarts, we won't have houses, so that all students are allowed to freely choose their friends._

_The new school year is going to commence on 1 September. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at any time._

_Yours sincerely_

_Professor Minerva McGonagall_

_Headmistress'_

"Wouldn't it be good to list up the subjects along with the teachers' names, so that the students can see that most of the current Hogwarts staff is going to transfer to the Nice School?" Poppy suggested, when Severus came to her office to ask for her opinion.

"Oh right, that's a good idea," Severus agreed immediately. "Has any of you thought of inviting Hagrid by the way?"

_tbc..._

_Thank you very much for the kind comments for the first chapter! If you don't like this story, please stop reading here. If you expect Sirius or Ron to play a role in this story, please also stop reading here..._


	3. Chapter 3

**The Nice School of Magic**  
><strong>by Healer Pomfrey<strong>

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
>I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.<em>

* * *

><p>When Minerva came to the Nice School of Magic six days later, she brought Pomona Sprout, Filius Flitwick, Rolanda Hooch, Irma Pince, Hagrid in the company of his dog familiar, Amelia Bones, Bill and Charlie Weasley and Remus Lupin with her, using a group Portkey.<p>

HP

Albus Dumbledore sat in his office, deep in shock. An hour ago, right after the students had left, five of his colleagues had visited him in his office presenting him with their resignations - and that just one week after his most trusted colleagues, Minerva, Severus and Poppy, had already resigned from their posts. He could understand why Severus had quitted his job - yes, the Potions Master had all right to be more than angry at him. However, he wouldn't have imagined his almost complete staff including the other three heads of the houses to stand behind the Potions Master.

"Fawkes, I messed up, didn't I?" he spoke up, as he absentmindedly petted the phoenix' head feathers.

#Yes, you did,# Fawkes trilled. #All that because of a prophecy, in which no one but you and Voldemort believes. That was incredibly stupid. You better begin to search for new teachers and nestlings right away.#

"Yes, I'll do that," Albus agreed and rose from his chair in determination. "I'll also ask the Minister of Magic to not support any other magical school in Britain apart from Hogwarts. In my position as the head of the Wizengamot I am surely entitled to make such a request."

#Good luck old man# Fawkes trilled, seemingly amused.

HP

Alerted by the house-elves that his old and new colleagues had arrived, Severus motioned Harry to follow him and met everyone in the entrance hall.

_'That man's very big,'_ Harry thought, staring at Hagrid with anxiousness.

"Welcome to the Nice School of Magic," Severus greeted the newcomers and led them into the dining hall, where the house-elves served refreshments for everyone.

"As you can see," Minerva spoke up, glancing around the table, our staff is almost complete. Eventually, we still need a teacher for Arithmancy and Latin. Until we find a suitable person, Bill suggested teaching Arithmancy and Ancient Runes in turns, as they're both elective subjects anyway. Irma will teach a few hours of Latin as elective subject besides being the librarian for the time being until we find someone suitable for either of her positions. Amelia will be my successor as Transfiguration professor, and Rolanda is going to teach Swimming besides Flying. Other than that, Poppy will give a few Healing classes to promising students besides her work as our healer. Hagrid will be our caretaker, and I have good news for him." She paused, glancing around to see if anyone had questions, before she looked at the half-giant, grinning.

"I have spoken with the French Minister of Magic concerning our school, our staff, etc. The Minister has guaranteed me her full support, provided that we accept students from France as well under the condition that they're able to follow classes in the English language. She has further decided that, as long as he is in France, Hagrid will be allowed to carry a wand, after I reassured her that no one who is aware of the events that happened almost fifty years ago believes that he has anything to do with it. Congratulations Hagrid."

Everyone applauded, while large crocodile tears appeared on Hagrid's cheeks.

"Thank you so much, headmistress," he said, teary-eyed.

"As to the students, the whole Gryffindor house, apart from the seventh years of course and Percy Weasley, have already registered for our school," Minerva continued, before Severus interrupted her.

"That Weasley boy has always been strange," he commented, rolling his eyes.

"That's true," Minerva agreed. "Especially since two of his brothers are teachers here. However, his eight-year-old twin brothers have already registered for our school." Pulling a small parchment out of her robe pocket, she explained, "Also sixty percent from Slytherin, seventy percent from Ravenclaw as well as the complete Hufflepuff house."

"Oh Merlin," Poppy blurted out, looking at her best friend in delight. "Albus is going to have a hard time."

Severus smirked, mumbling something like "his own fault for being a meddling coot."

"So that means," the new headmistress continued to speak, "that we don't have to put much energy in promoting our school to win new students at the moment. Most of our old students agreed to come here in order to follow their head of house. What we need to do though is to write to all magical children who are going to turn eight, nine, ten or eleven before the beginning of the school year. I shall do this during the following week."

"I can help you, Minerva," Amelia offered. "We still have two months of holidays, which should be enough time to make our lesson plans."

"Is there anything that we need to do about possible French students?" Severus queried.

Minerva shook her head in denial. "No, the Minister will inform us of new students by the first of August every year. We don't have to do anything except for accepting the students they suggest. I'm thinking about contacting the headmistress of Beauxbatons though in order to possibly arrange a cooperation between our schools."

Everyone else agreed to assist as well, and Minerva thanked her colleagues, before she addressed a different matter. "Severus' son Harry is only six or will be six next month, and we've been discussing who should teach him until he'll be old enough to enter the Nice school as a student." Glancing at Severus, she continued, "Finally, we've decided to try to let him attend classes together with the first years. Harry is an intelligent boy, and his magic is extremely strong for his age, so we resolved to give it a try. One a different note, when I spoke to Augusta Longbottom - my old friend from my own time at Hogwarts - about our new school, she asked me if I could accept Neville, so that he could grow up and go to school together with Harry, as she feels too old to raise a child and home-school him like she has done so far."

"Considering that the boy's parents were good and powerful students, I don't see a problem with it," Severus was the first to reply.

"And I believe that it'll be good for Harry to have someone of his own age here, even if they attend classes together with the students who are two years older," Poppy added, smiling.

"Minerva, why don't you invite both of them here for a few days?" Severus suggested."

"I'll do that," Minerva promised, before she turned to Harry.

"Now Harry, you're already at home here, so do you think you could show everyone the school?"

"Yes," Harry replied, grinning broadly.

"Also show them how to get to the city centre of Nice and to the portal please," Severus instructed his son, who returned an eager nod.

HP

During the following hour, Harry guided the new teachers, who seemed all very nice, around the school. He showed them the park and the beach that was white and twinkled in the sunshine, just like the blue sea that was spread out behind the beach.

"This part of the beach is magical," he informed the teachers.

"So Muggles can't see it and we can fly here?" Rolanda queried with apparent excitement.

Harry nodded. "Yes."

At the far end of the beach, hidden behind a couple of arranged palm trees, was the portal.

"This is the portal," the five-year-old explained, proudly. "My daddy told me that it's only visible to magical people, and it leads to the magical shopping street in Marseille. He took me there once, and it's huge," he added, smiling.

"Where exactly is the city of Nice?" Bill Weasley asked in a soft voice, when they were on their way back to the school.

"Oh right," Harry recalled. "It's in this direction," he explained, pointing in the direction of the city centre. "If you leave the school through the back door behind the library and turn right just before the new greenhouse, you get to a small street. It goes to Nice."

_'I hope they understood what I meant,'_ he thought and, just to be sure, led everyone to the spot, from where one could already see the church of which he had thought as the beginning of the city centre, when his father had taken him to the town two days ago.

"Thank you very much for showing us around, Harry," Charlie said, warmly, gently ruffling the boy's head.

"Yeah, you did a good job," his brother Bill added, grinning.

"It's an amazing place for a school," Amelia spoke up. "I really look forward to living here."

"Have you been to Marseille yet?" Remus Lupin asked the child. "Does it take long to get there?"

Harry grinned. "No sir. You just go through the portal, and you're right in the middle of the magical shopping street. They have a really large bookshop."

"Do they have English books though, although we're in France?" Irma Pince asked with apparent interest.

"Minerva said something that Severus talked the owner of the bookshop into cooperating with The Ink Pot in London, so that not only the teachers but also the students would be able to get their books there," Pomona replied, thoughtfully.

"I also heard that there's a branch of Gringotts in Marseille," Filius threw in.

"That's very helpful," Amelia agreed. "I think and I'm going to suggest to Minerva that we install an additional class - French. Even if we live here at the school, the students might have contact to shop owners in Nice or Marseille, provided that we plan Nice or Marseille visits like the Hogsmeade visits at Hogwarts."

"We should do that," Remus agreed, immediately.

_'Yay,'_ Harry thought. _'I'd love to learn French. It was very unsettling when only Dad could talk to the people in Nice but I couldn't understand a word. I hope they'll find a teacher quickly.'_

HP

During the following weeks, the teachers prepared the school, their classrooms and their offices for their needs. Harry liked each single of the professors. Everyone was so nice to him, especially compared to his aunt and uncle, and he spent every morning helping all the teachers with their work. In the afternoon, he was allowed to assist his father in his lab for two hours, where Severus carefully taught him to prepare ingredients and always gave him two ingredients as homework, about which he had to remember the special characteristics as well as the ways of preparing them. Later in the afternoon, Rolanda Hooch took him to the beach flying, which Harry enjoyed very much, especially when the teacher brought a Snitch, which he was usually able to catch before she could even spot it.

"Harry, you're going to make a brilliant Seeker," the flying instructor commended him. "We'll see that we set up Quidditch teams for the different years."

When Rolanda also began to teach him how to swim, he was over the moon with joy. He just loved the sea that was always warm, and he did his best to not disappoint the always funny teacher, to whom he had taken a great liking.

Harry became quickly used to the fact that everything was different from how it had been in his former life and that the Dursleys' rules did not apply to him anymore. He felt happier than he could remember having felt ever before. Nevertheless, everything that he had learned in his previous home still remained at the back of his mind.

_tbc..._

_Thank you so much for your kind reviews!_


	4. Chapter 4

**The Nice School of Magic**  
><strong>by Healer Pomfrey<strong>

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
>I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.<em>

_**This story is COMPLETELY AU. If you don't likt it, don't read it!**  
><em>

* * *

><p>It was at the end of July that Severus told Harry at breakfast, "This afternoon, we won't brew potions. Instead, we're going to make a trip to Marseille. In fact, I plan to leave right after breakfast." Seeing that Harry stared at him with a combination of surprise and disappointment, he explained, "Tomorrow, Neville is going to visit us together with his grandmother, and it's Neville's birthday. He's exactly one day older than you, so I think we should go and buy a nice birthday present for him, don't you agree?"<p>

"All right," Harry replied, lightly.

"Harry," the headmistress spoke up, "what would you like for your birthday?"

Harry glanced at the kind professor, who was like a grandmother to him, before he averted his eyes, mumbling, "I don't get birthday presents."

"You what?" Severus blurted out in shock. "Did the Dursleys tell you such nonsense?"

Harry nodded, following the moves of a cat on his robes with apparent interest.

"Harry," Severus addressed him in a soft voice. "You already know that the Dursleys' rules don't apply anymore. Aunt Minerva asked you what you'd like to have, because she'd love to buy you a present." He carefully brought his forefinger to Harry's chin and lifted it upwards. "Please look at Minerva and answer her question."

Harry obediently turned his eyes to view the headmistress. "I'd like to have a dog like in the story with Bob and the Dalmatian," he voiced his thought in a small voice, only to add, "but if that's too much to ask, I'd like a book."

All the teachers had followed the conversation and began to laugh, secretly deciding that they'd put all together to buy a puppy for the cute boy.

"A book is always a good choice," Severus agreed, nodding at his son. "Now, shall we leave?"

Harry nodded, excitedly, and left the hall after his father, while everyone else remained seated at the breakfast table.

HP

Harry enjoyed the trip to Marseille very much. The wizarding shopping centre was large and had so many shops that Severus and Harry could barely decide where to begin.

"Let's head to the toy shop first," Severus finally suggested, and together, father and son decided to buy a Lego set of the magical shopping centre.

Harry inwardly cheered in anticipation, hoping that the other boy would allow him to play with the set together with him. While Harry was distracted looking at other shelves, Severus unobtrusively bought another Lego set of Noah's Ark for his son.

They also visited the bookshop, the apothecary and several other shops, before they had lunch at the _Boulangerie de la Pluie_. Finally, Severus took Harry to the clothes' maker to buy proper school robes for the boy and to the wand maker to purchase a children's wand.

Unfortunately, it was not easy to find a suitable wand for the boy. Only when the wand maker finally made Harry try out normal wands for adults, one of them turned out to be perfect for the boy. As soon as he took the almost white wand into his hand, he felt incredibly happy, and when he slightly waved the wand, bright sparkles emerged from its tip.

"That's what I thought," the wand maker said, pensively. "Your son's magic is too strong for a children's wand."

Harry learned that his wand consisted of pine tree and the feather of an ice phoenix, which was a very rare animal. He felt very happy, thinking, _'Now I can really do magic, and I'll be able to attend classes together with the students.'_

HP

Harry awaited Neville's arrival with mixed feelings. On the one hand, Minerva had told him that Neville was a quiet and very nice boy and that Harry would surely be able to play with him, however, on the one hand, Harry could not help remembering Dudley, who had also been of his own age and had always been mean to him.

It was shortly after breakfast that Cicero alerted Severus that Mrs. Longbottom and Neville had arrived. "Let's go and greet them," Severus said and strode through the room, motioning Harry to come.

To his relief, Minerva also came to the entrance hall to meet the guests and introduced the Snapes to the Longbottoms.

Neville hesitantly stepped over to Harry and held out his hand. "Hello Harry, I'm Neville," he said, shyly.

"Hello Neville, I'm Harry," Harry replied in a soft voice, hesitantly accepting the other boy's hand, before he handed over the present and added, "Happy Birthday."

"Thank you very much," Neville replied in apparent surprise, eyeing the large box in delight.

"We can play together if you want," Harry suggested, causing his new friend to nod eagerly.

However, the headmistress chose that instant to invite everyone for tea into her office. When they arrived in the office and the adults drank tea and spoke about the school, about Hogwarts, the magical world in general and finally about Neville and Harry, Harry motioned Neville to open his present. The two boys sat on the floor in front of the fireplace and quietly began to play with Neville's Lego.

"This is great," Neville said in admiration, as they tried to build up the city like it was supposed to be.

"Yes, it is," Harry full heartedly agreed, smiling happily at his new friend.

"But the best is that we can play together," Neville added, returning a genuine smile.

Too soon for the boys' liking, it was time to head to the Dining hall, where the teachers had organised a small birthday party for Neville. Together with Bill and Charlie, Rolanda had turned the hall into a jungle playground, where they could safely climb onto trees and slide down, sit in swings or play ball. There was even a small corner equipped with children's brooms and a Snitch that hovered above their heads.

The two children had so much fun that Harry did not even have time to show Neville the school, let alone the beach that he loved so much, before dinner commenced, and Harry already knew that the end of dinner equalled his bed time.

"Daddy," Harry spoke up during dinner, "may Neville sleep in my room?"

All the teachers quitted his question with laughter, knowing how shy the boy usually was and that he had never had a friend before.

"Of course Harry, if that's what Neville wants too and if his grandmother doesn't mind," Severus replied in his soft, baritone voice, which always felt very soothing to Harry.

"I don't mind," Augusta Longbottom replied, smiling. "If it's not too much trouble for you having the two of them."

"Not at all," Severus reassured the old witch.

HP

An hour later, Harry was lying in his bed, listening to Neville's breathing and thinking, _'I'm the happiest boy in the world. Now I don't only have a family and a great home, but I also have a friend. And when I wake up, it's my birthday, my first birthday ever.'_

When Severus came to check on the children before going to bed, he noticed, contentedly, that Harry was asleep with a smile on his face.

HP

Harry's birthday turned out as an amazing day beyond Harry's imagination. He spent the morning unwrapping presents and playing with Neville on the playground that still remained in the hall. Too soon for his liking, the teachers called them over for lunch. However, Harry knew better than to complain.

When everyone had finished eating, Minerva rose from her seat and went into a small side chamber, only to return with a small bundle in her arms.

"Harry," she addressed the birthday boy, lightly pressing the bundle into his arms. "This is from all of us," she explained.

Before Harry could carefully remove the blanket to see what was hidden behind it, something black with white spots stretched itself upwards and began to lick Harry's face over and over, causing everyone to laugh.

"Hi there," Harry spoke up, carefully trying to push the moving something out of his face. "A puppy," the then said in delight. "Thank you so much. What's his name?"

"It's a crup," Charlie explained, "the magical version of a Jack Russell terrier. He doesn't have a name yet."

Harry remained thoughtful, however, it was not easy to come up with a name for something so cute like the puppy who was once again licking his face and ears.

"Name him Barkymort," Rolanda suggested, causing some of her colleagues to groan, others to chuckle.

"What about Spot?" Neville's granny threw in.

"Bubbles."

"Chien."

The teachers suggested so many names for the puppy that Harry just could not decide. He stared into the puppy's bright yellow eyes and asked, "What do you think about Barkymort? Do you bark a lot?"

'I like the name,' the dog replied, telepathically. 'I took the liberty of bonding to you.'

"That's fine," Harry replied, smiling, as he gently petted the dog's head.

"Harry, you must be careful," Charlie spoke up. "Although this puppy is going to make a great familiar, it can be dangerous to others, and you have to take good care of him. He's a hunting dog, and most crups absolutely detest Muggles."

Harry listened, wide-eyed, thinking, _'Thank Merlin that I'm not at the Dursleys' anymore. He might kill them all.'_

"May I take him with us to the beach when we go to flying?" Harry asked, recalling that Rolanda had promised to take him and Neville flying on his birthday.

"Yes, you can take him with you," Charlie was the first to reply. "However, I'd chain him as long as you're flying, at least until he gets used to you and your home."

"All right," Harry agreed, smiling, before he began to talk to Barkymort in a soft voice, causing the puppy to let out a series of excited barks.

HP

An hour later, Harry and Neville were flying over the beach trying to catch the Snitch together with Rolanda, while Barkymort was exploring the beach underneath the flying trio.

All of a sudden, however, Barkymort began to bark in obvious excitement and tried to get away towards the Muggle beach on the left hand side.

_'I better look what he wants,'_ Harry thought and quickly descended to the beach.

_tbc..._

_Thank you so much for your kind reviews._

_Barkymort is my own character from my teddylonglong story "A winter with Barkymort"._


	5. Chapter 5

**The Nice School of Magic**  
><strong>by Healer Pomfrey<strong>

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
>I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.<em>

_**This story is COMPLETELY AU. If you don't likt it, don't read it!**_

* * *

><p>As soon as Harry descended to the ground, Barkymort began to waggle his tail and eagerly lick the boy's hand. Harry gently cuddled the puppy, feeling not only amused, but also very happy at his familiar's antics. <em>'He's so cute,'<em> he thought, excitedly.

As soon as Harry let go off the puppy and took the chain into his hands, Barkymort tried to dash off in the direction of the Muggle beach.

"Harry, be careful," Rolanda warned him. "Remember that Charlie told us that he doesn't like Muggles."

"Yes," Harry replied and held the chain in a firm grip, when all of a sudden, a girl came running towards them from the Muggle beach.

_'She can't be a Muggle,'_ Harry thought, knowing that only magical people were able to see let alone enter their beach. Moreover, Barkymort immediately seemed to like the girl and eagerly waggled his tail.

"Excuse me," the girl blurted out, when she came to stand in front of them, trying to catch her breath. "Have you been flying on broomsticks earlier? I saw you, but my parents wouldn't believe me."

Before Harry could even comprehend what the matter was, Rolanda explained to the girl that only magical people were able to see this part of the beach.

The girl stared at the teacher, wide-eyed. "So that means that I'm magical but my parents aren't," she said, pensively. "That's why I happen to do strange things from time to time." She turned around to view the Muggle beach and let out a deep sigh. "I need to go back. My parents then won't be able to see where I went. That's why they're shouting for me. I'd like to speak some more with you though."

"We'll go all with you," Rolanda said in a soothing voice, and led the girl back.

Harry, Neville and Barkymort followed the two witches to the Muggle beach, where Rolanda introduced themselves to the Muggles, who were very friendly and listened to her and the girl's explanations about being magical with apparent interest.

Barkymort, however, seemed to greatly dislike the Muggles, and Harry and Neville had a hard time keeping the puppy from continuously barking at the couple.

Finally, Rolanda invited the family, who was from Britain but on holidays in Nice, to visit them at the school the following morning, so that they could speak with the headmistress about what she had told them as well as about possibly sending the girl to the Nice School of Magic in two years' time.

"Oh no," the girl blurted out in clear disappointment. "Do I really have to wait for two years? I'm going to be seven in seven weeks' time, and I really want to learn magic. I don't like my primary school at all. These boys here are much nicer than anyone in my school."

"We can speak with the teachers," Harry was the first to react on the girl's outburst, while he held Barkymort in his arms, gently petting the puppy. "Neville and I are only six, too, and maybe you can attend school together with us."

"Very well, Hermione," the girl's father spoke up. "We'll come here to speak with the headmistress in the morning, and then we'll see."

Turning to Rolanda, his wife added, "Thank you very much for bringing the matter to our attention. We were always wondering and worrying about Hermione's happenings."

Rolanda chuckled. "You're very welcome, and there's nothing to worry about. Hermione will be fine."

Harry suddenly remembered something. He hesitantly pulled Rolanda's robes, causing her to lean down to him in surprise. "Aunt Rolanda, do you think I could invite Hermione to come with us to eat my birthday cake?" he whispered, giving the always funny teacher a pleading look.

Rolanda grinned, as she straightened herself, before she replied aloud, "I don't mind, Harry, but you have to ask Hermione and her parents."

Seeing the Grangers look at him with apparent curiosity, Harry couldn't help blushing. "Today is my birthday," he spoke up in a small voice, "and I'd like Hermione to come and eat my birthday cake together with us if possible."

Apparently sensing that the Muggles were uncertain, Rolanda suggested for the Grangers to just accompany them right away. "It doesn't matter if it's today or tomorrow morning," she added, smiling, and everyone agreed. With the Grangers' permission, she cast a spell at them that enabled them to see the magical beach, which was the nearest way back to the school.

"This is a school?" Hermione asked in apparent surprise. "I thought it was a large manor."

"Originally yes. It belonged to my daddy and me," Harry explained, "but my daddy and his colleagues decided to make it a school."

_'This is the best birthday ever,'_ Harry thought as he ran ahead with Barkymort, closely followed by Neville and Hermione, who did not stop asking questions as they went. _'I got two friends and a puppy. I must be the happiest boy in the world.'_

HP

To Harry's relief, Minerva and Amelia, who was the deputy headmistress, agreed to allow Hermione into the Nice school together with Harry and Neville. However, the teachers decided that they had to consider putting up a special class for the children under the age of eight.

"I hope they won't," Harry said to Neville and Hermione at dinner time, when the three children were allowed to eat at a special table just for themselves. "I can't wait to be able to attend the first years' classes."

HP

By the end of August, fifteen eight-year-old students from Britain were registered for the first class of the Nice school - apart from Harry, Neville and Hermione.

"Three out of eighteen should be all right," Minerva decided, knowing from Severus, who had extended his son's afternoon Potions classes to Neville and Hermione, as long as they had stayed in Nice during the summer, that all three children were very alert.

"If necessary, I'll tutor them an hour or two during the weekends," Severus promised, and all teachers agreed.

However, in the end, the number of young students turned out to become four out of nineteen, when Amelia suddenly had to return to Britain on one day during the last week of the holidays in order to take in her niece Susan after her parents had died unexpectedly.

Harry, who had been feeling a bit lonely after Neville and Hermione had both returned home until the beginning of school, immediately began to take care of Susan. She was a very nice girl, a fact that even Barkymort admitted, and Harry eagerly showed her every part of the school, the grounds and the beach.

"I'm happy to have you here," he told the girl. "Tomorrow, Hermione and Neville are going to come back, and we'll have much fun together."

As if to prove Harry's words, Barkymort eagerly licked the girl's hand.

HP

In the evening, Harry was much too excited to sleep. Even if Barkymort was curled up right next to his stomach under his covers, a fact that usually made him feel very warm and cosy, he just was not able to close his eyes for more than a minute. _'I wonder how it is to sleep in a dormitory,'_ he thought. _'Granny Minerva said we'd be staying together students whom she knew to be very nice. Oh well, if they're not, maybe we can sleep in my room. Daddy said I could return here at any time. It will be so much fun to really learn magic. I hope Barkymort will behave in class. Otherwise, I must leave him with Hagrid. At least he gets along well with Fang, so I wouldn't have to worry about him.'_

Suddenly, his father entered the room. "Harry, are you still awake?" he asked, incredulously.

"Yes Daddy," Harry replied, yawning. "At what time will they come tomorrow? Will Neville and Hermione arrive together with everyone else? What..."

"Harry, easy," Severus interrupted his son's tirade in a soft voice. "The students will all arrive shortly before lunchtime. Neville will probably just come through the fireplace like he did when he visited you last weekend. The others will all arrive by Portkey. There's nothing to worry about, son. However, you need to sleep if you want to be awake enough to show your classmates the school in the afternoon."

"I can show them around?" Harry asked, excitedly. "That's great."

"You may, yes," Severus reassured the boy. "Usually, the teachers of the year will do that, but Aunt Poppy, who is going to be the first years' teacher of the year, decided that you'd make an even better guide than herself and that she'd rather use the time for some last minute preparations. And now it's time for you to sleep," he added, rolling his eyes.

"Okay Dad, good night," Harry replied, sleepily.

Just when Severus wondered if he needed to spell a light calming draught into the boy's system, he noticed that his breathing became regular and he drifted off to sleep.

HP

Severus stood there for a few more minutes observing his son sleep. _'He has turned out to be a great boy in spite of his poor upbringing with Petunia,'_ he thought. _'I'm glad that he's still as caring and loveable as Lily was. I just hope that the older students won't ridicule the four six-year-olds, and I hope that Harry won't get ill too often, considering how the treatment by the Dursleys has weakened his immune system. At least Poppy took over the first years in order to monitor him. That's very reassuring.'_ Brushing a light kiss onto his son's forehead, he finally left the room, leaving the door open as usual.

HP

One thousand miles in the North, Albus Dumbledore was sitting in his living room, absentmindedly petting his phoenix Fawkes' head feathers. "It's a disgrace to be the Transfiguration professor again," he thought aloud. "I really should retire, especially with Malfoy as headmaster. I can't believe that not only my former colleagues, but also the Minister and the Wizengamot let me down in such a way. Still, I need to remain here in order to see what's going on with Voldemort. I don't think that he's really gone yet, especially since the Dark Mark was still visible on Severus' arm, and considering that it's mostly his followers who've taken over the school, he'll surely make an appearance at Hogwarts - if he comes back at all."

Fawkes let out a series of comforting trills. #Don't worry so much old man,# he instructed the wizard, to whom he had already been bonded for more than one hundred years.

"I'm not going to worry," Albus promised his familiar. "But I'm going to make plans in order to vanquish Voldemort if he appears again. "Do you have an idea where Minerva and all the others went?"

#I have an idea, but it's not my secret to share,# Fawkes trilled, pleasantly, before he demonstratively turned his head onto his back and drifted off to sleep.

HP

Together with Neville, who had arrived shortly after breakfast, and Susan, Harry stood next to the teachers waiting for the students to arrive on the grounds at exactly twelve o'clock. Fortunately, it was a warm and sunny day, and Harry, Susan and Neville had already spent two hours running over the beach and in the shallow water of the Mediterranean sea together with Barkymort, so that the puppy was tiredly resting next to his owner. Only when the students began to arrive all over the grounds, the small dog became fully alert and sniffled here and there in obvious excitement.

Minerva stepped forward to greet the students. "Welcome to The Nice School of Magic," she said, before she introduced the teachers and finally ushered everyone into the dining hall, pointing out that all students were supposed to sit together with their classes.

The number of the year was floating over the respective table, and each number held a different colour. Harry noticed happily that his class was the green class. _'My favourite colour,'_ he thought, as he took a seat between Susan and Hermione, instructing Barkymort to sit quietly under the table. To his surprise, Harry noticed that Aunt Poppy chose to sit at the first years' table, opposite of himself.

Within an instant, food popped up on the table, and while everyone happily began to eat, Poppy introduced herself to the students, before she motioned the twin sitting next to her to continue with the introduction.

The twins were Fred and George Weasley, next to George was Angelina Johnson, then her friend Alicia Spinnet. There was Lee Jorden, Roger Davies and Cedric Diggory. After Terence Higgs, Adrian Pucey and Susan, it was his turn to introduce himself. "I'm Harry," he said, smiling at his classmates. "I've only known that I'm a wizard for about three months. My dad is the Potions professor here, and this..." He interrupted himself for a moment to pull Barkymort onto his lap, "is my familiar Barkymort."

Everyone laughed at the puppy's cuteness, and Hermione continued, "I've only known that I'm a witch for a month. My parents are Muggles. I can't wait for classes to begin and to properly study magic."

"I'm Neville," Neville continued. "I grew up with my granny, and I'm very happy to b here now. I have a toad familiar, but my granny didn't allow me to bring him, because he always runs away and gets lost."

_'Poor Neville,'_ Harry thought and wondered if he could perhaps buy a new familiar for his best friend some time. _'I'll speak to Dad about it,'_ he resolved, only now realising that he had missed the rest of the introductions. _'I like the twins,'_ he thought, as the meal continued. _'They seem to be very funny.'_ He let his eyes wander around the table, thinking that everyone seemed to be nice. No one was eyeing him in the way, in which Dudley and his gang had used to stare at him. _'I wonder with whom we're going to share the dormitory,'_ he thought, feeling glad to know that at least Neville would always be with him.

_tbc..._

_Thank you so much for your kind reviews._


	6. Chapter 6

**The Nice School of Magic**  
><strong>by Healer Pomfrey<strong>

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
>I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.<em>

_**This story is COMPLETELY AU. If you don't likt it, don't read it!**_

* * *

><p>After lunch, Poppy asked Harry if he would be willing to give his classmates a tour through the school, and Harry happily agreed.<p>

"Of course, Professor Pomfrey," he replied, before he rose from his chair and led his classmates out of the room, closely followed by Barkymort. He showed them the library and explained where the classrooms were situated, before he led them to his favourite spot, the beach, smiling when the others showed surprise and enthusiasm at the sight in front of him.

"This is beautiful, isn't it?" Hermione spoke up, causing everyone to voice their agreement.

"Are we allowed to swim here?" a boy, who had introduced himself as Cedric, asked Harry.

"Yes, we're even going to have swimming classes with Rolanda Hooch, our swimming and flying instructor," Harry replied, eagerly. "We can also play Quidditch here on the beach."

"Are we going to have a proper Quidditch tournament..."

"... like at Hogwarts..."

"... between the houses?" the Weasley twins asked in a light sing-song, each of them finishing the other's sentence.

Harry chuckled, before he answered, "Probably yes. The teachers have discussed it, and they're going to set up something. It's a bit difficult though, because we have nine classes here, so if they want to have each of the classes play against each other, we'll have Quidditch matches every week.

"That doesn't matter," the twins replied, simultaneously for once.

"Let's beg the teachers..."

"... until they give in," the twins suggested, causing the others to agree.

Finally, Harry showed the others the portal and told them about the magical shopping centre in Marseille. "From sixth year onwards, students are allowed to go there without a teacher," he informed them. "I can't wait. The place is so interesting."

"Yes, it's just brilliant," Hermione replied with apparent enthusiasm, even if she had only been there once, when the teachers had taken her, Susan and Neville to get their wands a few days ago.

HP

Finally, Harry showed his classmates the huge park behind the school. He led them through one of the greenhouses, in which the Herbology class was going to take place, and pointed out that Hagrid, the caretaker, had built himself a hut at the far North East end of the grounds.

Suddenly, the twins pointed to a copse of trees at the North West end. "Do you see that tree over there?..."

"... It seems predestined for a tree house..."

"... Let's build one just for our class," the twins suggested, making everyone laugh at their way of speaking.

"That's a brilliant idea, but do you know how to build such a thing?" Lee asked, giving the twins an incredulous look.

"We'll just have to go to the library and search for the necessary spells and charms," Hermione suggested, causing Harry to laugh, nodding his head in agreement.

"We could also ask one of the adults, maybe Hagrid," Harry suggested. "He'd probably notice if we built something here anyway, and I think he won't give us out to the teachers."

After a longer discussion, the first years decided to wait a few months and see if they'd learn any useful spells or charms for their project in class, before they would decide how to begin and if they should ask Hagrid for help.

Harry inwardly groaned. _'Of course we need help. None of us can do any proper magic yet,'_ he thought.

Finally, Harry led his classmates to the first years' common room and showed them the dormitories, only to notice, happily, that his name had been added to the last door together with Neville, the Weasley twins and Cedric. _'They're all very nice,'_ he thought, smiling, as he showed Barkymort where his bed was. _'I wonder if he'll come into my bed here as well,'_ he thought, cuddling the puppy close.

HP

At dinner time, Pomfrey handed the first years their time table, and Harry noticed in surprise that the four six-year-olds had only one class of Defence, while their classmates had Defence three times a week. During the others' Defence class, the six-year-olds had a special class with the headmistress.

"It would be too strenuous for you to have Defence together with the older students, since not only their magic but also their power in general is already stronger than yours," their head of year informed the younger students in a kind but no-nonsense voice. "During your free periods, you will go to the headmistress' office and have classes with her."

_'That's cool,'_ Harry thought, who liked his Granny Minerva a lot. _'She'll surely teach us something interesting.'_

Harry noticed soon that the Healer's assessment had been correct. Even if his magic was very strong for his age and he was able to use a normal wand instead of a children's wand, his body could barely keep up with all the magic that the students had to cast in class. After their Healing class in the afternoon, during which they practised taking a dummy's temperature, he felt absolutely exhausted, and a glance into his three friends' faces told him that they were equally tired. This of course did not go unnoticed by the Healer, and from the next class onwards, she only made the smaller students practise during the first half of the class and had them sit down and watch afterwards.

Nevertheless, Harry liked all of his classes and was very happy that he was allowed to attend them instead of having to wait for two years. His classmates were all very nice, and although the students knew that they were younger, no one ever did as much as ridicule them because of their age.

During their special classes with Professor McGonagall, the headmistress taught them various things. Sometimes, she just made them practise writing or reading, which Harry found very useful, as he still was not able to write as quickly in class as his older classmates. At other times, she taught them a little French or practised spells with them that had been difficult for them in their classes.

HP

On the first day of the winter holidays, when all the students apart from Harry and Susan had gone home, the teachers held a staff meeting to discuss the pros and contras of their own school in comparison to Hogwarts.

"Most importantly, I believe that it's good that we don't have different houses," McGonagall was the first to speak. "It's amazing how well even the older students, who have known and practised house rivalry before, are able to get along with their classmates now, even with those who have been in different houses before."

"I fully agree," Severus concurred, glancing at his son, who was sitting at a children's table together with Susan playing wizard's chess.

"It's also a good thing to have them commence their magical education at the age of eight," Bill added. "At that time, their knowledge about the magical world is not as different as it would be at the age of eleven, depending whether they come from a pureblood, a Muggle family or else."

"I agree," Poppy threw in. "However, with the exception of a teacher's ward, we should never again accept six-year-olds into our school. It takes a toll on their small bodies to keep up with the older students' conditions."

The teachers nodded their agreement, and several of them glanced over to the two children, who both seemed to be very happy with their situation.

HP

Smiling, Harry followed his father to their private quarters that evening. _'It's strange to be here again, but also good,'_ he thought, as he looked around his own room, which was absolutely gorgeous in his opinion.

"Harry, what do you think Father Christmas is going to bring you?" Severus asked, colloquially, quirking an eyebrow at his son.

"I don't get Christmas presents," Harry mumbled in a barely audible voice. "Father Christmas never brings me one, because I'm not a good boy."

He noticed, horrified, that his father's expression changed to a very upset one and automatically held his arm in front of his face as if to protect himself. Only when Severus mumbled something about hexing the Dursleys into the next millennium did he realise that his father was angry at his relatives and not at himself.

"Get ready for bed," Severus instructed his son, and Harry already assumed that the matter with Father Christmas was already forgotten, when his father brought up the topic again.

"Harry," Severus began to patiently explain after gently tucking his son into bed. "In fact, it's not Father Christmas who brings the presents. People receive Christmas presents, just like birthday presents, from their family and their friends. Therefore, the fact that you never received presents doesn't have anything to do with being a good or a bad boy. It was only because the Dursleys are abnormal people."

Harry stared at his father with a combination of disbelief and relief. "If people give presents to their friends and family, I need to give everyone a present too," he thought aloud. "But what can I make?"

Severus chuckled at his son's fast change of mood. "You could make fruit drops for your friends and also for my colleagues if you wish to give them something," he suggested, causing Harry's eyes to shine, happily. "Very well then, I'll show you how to make fruit drops tomorrow," he promised, smirking. "Good night, son."

"Good night Dad," Harry replied, still smiling when he drifted off to sleep a few minutes later, Barkymort snuggled against his stomach as usual.

HP

In spite of the explanation from Severus and in spite of spending a whole weekend brewing various kinds of fruit drops for his friends, his classmates and the teachers, Harry was completely surprised upon realising just how many gifts were labelled with his name on Christmas morning. He received several kinds of books from the teachers and toys from his friends as well as a watch and some funny Potions books from Severus.

Even Barkymort got two presents, a red leather collar with his name on it from Severus as well as a stuffed dog from Hagrid, and the puppy absolutely loved his new toy. While Barkymort was not interested whatsoever in playing ball or fetching sticks, he had much fun trying to protect his stuffed dog from Harry who made it a game to try taking the toy from him.

HP

In the evening, Severus seemed uncharacteristically excited, when he told his son that he intended to go to Marseille in the morning.

"Yay, I was hoping that we could go during these holidays," Harry replied, happily, before he enquired, "May I take Barkymort with me, sir?"

"To Marseille you may take him, just not when we go to Nice or any other Muggle place," Severus replied, smiling, before he let out a small sigh.

"Harry, would you mind if we took someone else with us?" he finally queried, quirking an eyebrow.

"Of course not," Harry replied in surprise, wondering who was going to accompany them. _'Maybe Aunt Poppy or Granny Minerva,'_ he thought, as he contentedly snuggled against Barkymort.

_tbc..._

_Thank you very much for your kind comments for the previous chapters!_


	7. Chapter 7

**The Nice School of Magic**  
><strong>by Healer Pomfrey<strong>

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
>I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.<em>

_**This story is COMPLETELY AU. If you don't likt it, don't read it!**_

* * *

><p>"Amelia Bones and Susan are going to accompany us if you don't mind," his father informed him, causing Harry to smile, happily.<p>

"Of course I don't mind," he replied, sleepily. "That's great. Susan is really nice."

"Very well then, good night, son," Severus said, smirking, as he noxed the lights.

HP

Harry and Susan indeed had much fun. After spending some time at the apothecary and the bookshop, Amelia led them to the shop for magical animals, because she had promised Susan to buy her a pet.

"You may accompany Amelia and Susan, I'll take Barkymort and wait outside," Severus offered, kindly, knowing that his son wouldn't want to miss the visit to the pet shop.

"Stay outside with daddy for a few minutes," Harry instructed the puppy, promising, "I'll be back soon."

A few minutes later, he was back. "Daddy, what can I do to earn ten Gaullions?" he asked, urgently. "Susan is going to get a kitten, and I'd like to buy its brother for Neville. You know he can't bring his toad because it always runs away, and his granny is very strict and..."

Listening in surprise at his son's excited rambling, Severus smirked. "You could assist in the lab. I've got many potions to brew for Aunt Poppy," he replied, gently.

"All right Dad," Harry promised, eagerly. "May I please buy the kitten for Neville?"

Severus sighed. "All right son," he said and handed the boy a 10 Gaullion note, rolling his eyes when Harry dashed away, shouting his thank you as he ran. "Now Barkymort, you're going to behave towards the kittens, is that clear?" he turned to the dog in a firm voice that was supposed to be intimidating, however, merely caused the puppy to waggle his tail.

HP

Back at the Nice school, Harry stuck his head into the fireplace and called his best friend. "Excuse me, Madame, but can Neville come over for a few minutes please?" he asked Mrs. Longbottom, sighing in relief when the old lady agreed.

An instant later, Neville stepped out of the fireplace. "Harry, what's wrong?" he asked, sounding surprised.

Harry grinned and motioned his friend to follow him to his room, where his father and Cicero were just observing Barkymort taking care of the kitten. The puppy was gently licking the small cat over and over, and the kitten was purring, contentedly.

Neville was over the moon with joy upon hearing that Harry had bought the kitten for him and sighed in apparent relief, when Harry reassured him that he could leave the kitten with him, while his was at home, in case his granny didn't want to have a cat in her home.

"I'll ask her," Neville said in determination, carefully cuddling the kitten. "It's so cute. Thanks so much for buying her for me."

"You're welcome," Harry replied, grinning. "I'm glad that she gets along with Barkymort. She still needs a name though."

Neville scrunched his face in thought. "How did Susan name hers?" he finally asked.

"Susan's is a boy, and he's completely black. She named him Robin," Harry informed him, looking at his friend in expectation.

"Then I'll name her Bianca," Neville decided, giving the white kitten a questioning look. "Do you like that?" An instant later, a huge smile spread over his face, and he told Harry, "The kitten has just bonded to me and thought to me that she'd like the name."

HP

When Neville returned home, Harry brought Bianca to Susan, so that the two kittens could spend some time together, while the Snapes and the Bones headed for dinner.

However, when Harry took a seat between Susan and his father at the dining table, he looked up in surprise.

"The ceiling is gone," he blurted out, "and it's snowing inside. How can that happen, although we're on the first floor?"

Several of the teachers laughed at his confused expression. However, the headmistress explained in a soft voice, "Professor Flitwick has charmed the ceiling to look like the sky. It even looks as if it was snowing or raining, but of course it's only a charm and not real."

"I believe that from now on, we should call this hall 'Hall Magnifique' instead of just dining hall," the headmistress suggested, and everyone agreed, unanimously. "Very well then, I'll announce it at the welcoming feast," Minerva concluded, smiling.

"Wow, this is really amazing," Harry spoke up, staring at the ceiling in awe. _'Hermione will be impressed, too,'_ he thought, resolving to write a letter to his friend right after dinner. _'I hope Dad will allow me to quickly write to her,'_ he thought. _'It's still the middle of the holidays after all.'_

"You have exactly fifteen minutes," Severus informed him, and Harry hurried to scribble a few lines to his friend.

_'Dear Mione,_

_Neville has a new kitten. Her name is Bianca. Professor Flitwick has charmed the celing to look like the sky. It's brilliant. It looks as if it snowd in the hall. I can't wait for you to come back._

_Yours_

_Harry'_

"Dad, is that all right?" he asked, urgently, and impatiently waited while his father corrected two mistakes, before he called Cicero and asked him to give the letter to one of the school owls for him.

_'I hope she'll write back,'_ he thought, when he crawled into bed, where Barkymort was already waiting for him.

HP

Two days later, Harry received his friend's reply, giving his father a helpless look after reading it.

_'Dear Harry,_

_thank you for your letter. How can it snow in the hall that is on the first floor? What charm did Professor Flitwick use, and why do they want snow in the entrance hall? It's snowing a lot here, but my parents said that snow in Nice would be very rare. _

_What did you get for Christmas? I received many books. Neville's grandmother took my parents to Diagon Alley, which is like Marseille, and they bought lots of books there. It's great to have a lot of time to read, but I can't wait to go back to school. I miss you and Barkymort too. How is he? _

_Oh and thanks a lot for the fruit drops. They are delicious. _

_Waiting for your reply!_

_Hermione'_

Harry handed the letter to his father, mumbling something that sounded like "no clue".

Severus smirked. "Ms. Granger is a very intelligent young lady," he commented. "I'll help you write a reply later on. Now, are you up to assisting me in the lab?"

"Of course, Dad," Harry replied and happily followed his father out of the dining hall.

"Sorry Barky, you'll have to stay at home with Bianca until lunchtime," he informed the puppy, knowing that his familiar and the cat were going to sleep on his bed together until he would wake them up later on.

HP

Harry kept his promise and assisted his father in the lab every morning, and by the end of the holidays, he knew the basic healing potion that was used as the base for many other potions by heart. During the afternoons, Severus forbade him to assist, insisting that he needed some fresh air and should take Barkymort for a long walk around the grounds.

On most days, Susan joined him, and the two six-year-olds explored every single corner of the huge, old park as well as the beach. From time to time, they also visited Hagrid, so that Barkymort could play with Fang. Fortunately, the two dogs got along well and always happily played together. One day, Harry gave Hagrid an innocent look and asked, "Hagrid, do you think we could build a tree house in that tree over there?"

Hagrid walked over to the tree, to which Harry had pointed, and said, pensively, "That's a neat idea. Shall I build you one?"

Harry and Susan exchanged an excited glance, before Harry replied, "If it's not too much hassle, it would be great. But can you make it so that our whole class fits in and not tell any of the other adults? Please?"

Hagrid thoughtfully let his hand wander over his beard. "I think I'll be able to charm it so that you'll all fill in. Let me give it a try."

HP

On one of the last days of the holidays, Hagrid instructed Harry and Susan to visit him in the afternoon, and when the children complied, he showed them the finished tree house. It was small and barely visible from the ground. Right behind the tree was a ladder leading upstairs, and Hagrid reassured them that it was charmed to be invisible to everyone but the students of Harry's class.

_'How's our whole class supposed to fit in there?'_ Harry wondered, as he climbed up the ladder behind Susan and Barkymort. When he reached the top and looked inside, his eyes widened in disbelief. The inside of the tree house was almost as large as his own room, which was huge in his opinion.

"Hagrid, you're amazing. This is absolutely cool," Susan was the first to speak up, and Harry immediately voiced his agreement.

"Thanks a lot, Hagrid. Our classmates will appreciate it very much," he said, looking around in amazement.

"Le'me call Sophia, my house-elf," Hagrid suddenly spoke up and called the elf, whom he introduced as his personal elf. He instructed the elf to not tell anyone about the tree house but to equip it with comfortable sofas and chairs and whatever else nineteen students would need.

"Yes Master Hagrid," Sophia replied and popped away.

During the following ten minutes, the children observed how furniture and other equipment appeared, changing the tree house into a comfortably looking room.

_'This is too cool,'_ Harry thought and let himself sink into one of the sofas, glad to be able to sit down. In fact, he had not been feeling overly well ever since he had woken up in the morning. However, he knew better than to complain about it.

"Harry," Susan suddenly spoke up in a soft voice. "I'd like to go back to my room. I don't feel well."

Harry looked at his friend in surprise, noticing that her cheeks were deep red and her eyes looked glassy. "I'll go with you," he replied. "Shall I take you to Aunt Poppy?"

"Okay," Susan agreed, and the two friends slowly descended the latter.

They had to wait a moment, as Barkymort seemed a little afraid to climb down, and Harry just thought that he had to go and carry him, when the puppy finally came down to the ground.

By the time they arrived in the hospital room, Harry felt completely exhausted. However, he tried to not let Susan notice about it and turned back towards the door, as soon as Poppy began to wave her wand over the girl. He was just about to leave the room, when Poppy called him back.

"I'm sorry Harry, but I'm afraid I can't let you go," the healer addressed him in a no-nonsense voice. "Susan caught a very dangerous illness, and I must put you in quarantine for the time being," she explained, before she waved her wand over the boy and glared at him. "You even got it worse than Susan," she muttered in disbelief, as she made Harry lie down on the bed next to the girl.

_tbc..._

_Thank you for your kind comments, here and on FB..._


	8. Chapter 8

**The Nice School of Magic**  
><strong>by Healer Pomfrey<strong>

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
>I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.<em>

_**This story is COMPLETELY AU. If you don't likt it, don't read it!**_

* * *

><p>Harry was so relieved to be able to lie down that he did not care what was going to happen anymore. He just closed his eyes and was about to drift off to sleep, when his father and Susan's aunt entered the room.<p>

"What's wrong with them?" Severus enquired in the soft, baritone voice that Harry liked so much.

"They've both caught the dragon pertussis," Poppy informed them in a grave voice. "They'll be in for a rough time."

"I'll go and brew the potion for the dragon pertussis as well as the preventive potion," Severus promised and hurried away, while Amelia took a seat on a chair between the two beds.

"They probably caught it when we went to Marseille last week," she said to the healer, who nodded in agreement.

HP

During the following days, Harry and Susan both became very ill with a high fever and a horrible cough that took all of their energy. Harry barely ever noticed his surroundings. Only a few times, he was conscious enough when he woke up to see that his father and Susan's aunt were sitting next to their beds on a sofa speaking together in soft voices.

Once, Harry woke up during the night, he heard the adults speak with each other.

"I just hope they're going to be better soon," Amelia breathed, sounding tear-stricken. "I'm so worried. What if anything happens to them?"

"Don't worry, Amelia," Severus replied in a soft voice, gently rubbing circles into the witch's back. "They're strong, and they're going to pull through this. Give them a few more days and they'll begin to improve."

"We'll be all right," Harry mumbled, before he drifted back to sleep, leaving the adults to wonder if he had spoken to them or if it had been their imagination.

Another night, Harry woke up feeling much better. He glanced towards the foot of the bed, where Severus and Amelia used to spend their nights, noticing that they were both asleep, Amelia with her head resting on Severus' shoulder and Severus with his arm round his colleague's back.

_'Maybe they like each other,'_ Harry thought, somehow feeling very pleased at the idea. _'I like Amelia too. She's really nice, just like Susan,'_ he thought, happily.

One day, both children were awake at the same time during the day. Seeing that neither of the adults was present, Harry whispered to Susan, "Do you think that your aunt and my father like each other?"

Susan let out a few harsh coughs, before she smiled and said, "I'd like that."

HP

It took still another week, before the healer deemed them well enough to return to their dormitories and grudgingly allowed them to attend classes from the following day onwards.

"Thank Merlin, I'm missing Robin terribly, and Barkymort must be missing you too," Susan said, as they finally left the hospital room in relief.

"No," Harry replied, chuckling, before he explained, "Barkymort is able to turn himself invisible. He has been with me in my bed the whole time."

HP

"Harry, Susan," Hermione spoke up in apparent relief, when they entered the common room. "Thank Merlin you're finally back. You missed more than two weeks of classes."

"So long?" Harry asked, horrified.

"Don't worry..."

"... we'll all help you catch up," the twins threw in, grinning.

"Have you seen the tree house?" Harry remembered to ask, recalling that visiting the tree house had been the last thing that they had done before being stuck in the hospital room.

"Tree house?"

"What?"

"But how...?"

"Where?" their classmates asked in apparent excitement.

"In the park. Come," Harry replied, and the first years hurried outside, following Barkymort, who had obviously decided to lead the group.

HP

From that time onwards, the first years spent every free minute in the tree house much to the chagrin of the teachers, who always kept looking for any of the first years in vain if they wanted to speak with one of them. Unbeknownst to the students, the teachers went as far as making a bet about what the children were doing. While one group around Professor Flitwick was sure that they had to be quietly studying somewhere at a secret place, the other half around Remus Lupin insisted that they were surely planning mischief, considering that no one could find them.

"I don't know what they're doing, but I know where they are, and they're safe," Hagrid reassured his colleagues, however, kept his secret as he had promised Harry.

It was only by chance that Severus one day discovered the first years' secret. One day, Harry had caught a bad cold, and Amelia, who was teaching the first years in the last afternoon class, sent him to the hospital room. Knowing better than to not obey, Harry went to see Poppy, who gave him a Pepperup potion and accompanied him to his dormitory, instructing him to rest for an hour. Neither Harry nor Poppy realised that they accidentally locked Barkymort into the hospital room.

"I'll come back and check on you again before dinner," Poppy told Harry, before she left to return to her domain.

However, knowing that the last afternoon class was already over, Harry grabbed his book bag and headed to the tree house, unaware that Barkymort was not following him, invisibly.

One hour later, an enraged healer contacted the Potions Master, who now went to search for his son, stumbling over Barkymort as he went.

"Barkymort, where's Harry?" he asked in a stern voice. "He probably still needs some potions, so please show me to him."

Ten minutes later, the first years, who were diligently studying in their tree house room, realised in shock that not only Barkymort entered the room but that he had brought the Potions Master with him.

HP

"It seems to have escaped your attention that dinner is going to commence any minute now," Severus spoke up, quirking an eyebrow.

"Professor..."

"... will you please..."

"... keep our secret..."

"... and not tell anyone..."

"... about this place please?" the more than annoying Weasley twins spoke up in their ridiculous sing-song.

"If you keep to the rules and don't need extra invitations for the meals in the future, I won't tell," Severus promised, smirking as he thought how he was going to win the bet together with Amelia, Minerva, Poppy and Filius. "Hurry up now," he advised the students, before he addressed his son.

"Harry, how dare you disobey and come here in spite of Aunt Poppy's instruction to stay in bed?" he asked in a stern voice, shooing Hermione, Susan and Neville away. "I'm well able to accompany my son to the Hall Magnifique," he sneered, causing Harry's three best friends to flee behind their classmates.

"I'm sorry, Dad," Harry replied, and Severus noticed that his eyes were swimming in tears.

"Well, you will be grounded for a week. Apart from classes and mealtimes, you'll remain in the common room the whole time," Severus replied, not wanting to further punish the boy, knowing what he had endured at his relatives' house. "Are you feeling well enough to attend dinner?"

"Yes sir," Harry said, quietly, absentmindedly petting Barkymort's ears.

HP

To not only Harry's, but also the teachers' surprise, all first years remained in the common room during the whole week, while Harry was grounded.

"You really don't have to stay with me," Harry protested in a small voice, cuddling Barkymort close.

"But we want to stay with you," Hermione and Susan replied, simultaneously.

"It's no problem, Harry. It's a nice change to study here for a few days," Cedric reassured him.

"Maybe we could use the opportunity..."

"... to take a break in studying..."

"... and to think of a few pranks..."

"... that we can play on the teachers?" the twins suggested.

"That's a good idea. We're much too well behaved," Adrian spoke up.

"Does anyone have an idea?" Lee asked in apparent excitement.

_'Oh Merlin, I'm still grounded. I really don't want to get in any further trouble right now,'_ Harry thought, however, feeling too grateful towards his classmates to voice his thoughts.

"We'll think about something," the twins promised, grinning broadly. "Give us a day."

HP

At the same time, the teachers were having their weekly staff meeting.

"I'm very impressed at the behaviour of our first years," the headmistress spoke up, smiling. "Not only because they studied so much and helped us win the bet, but because they stick together so well. Harry is grounded this week, but the whole class is studying in the common room instead of spending their time wherever they use to hide. I also like the fact that they always show up in the Hall Magnifique for the meals together. No other class ever does such a thing. I really wished I could award them house points."

"Maybe we could setup a point system for the classes?" Amelia suggested, glancing at Severus. "We can award and take points from each single class, and at the end of the school year, the class with the most points will win some reward."

"What kind of reward for example?" Pomona enquired, interestedly.

"For example a voucher for a visit to Marseille for the following school year," Charlie suggested. "At least for the younger students, that would be a real treat."

"For the older students, we can still think about something," his brother Bill added.

_'If the first years continue to behave like they do, they'll definitely win the prize,'_ Severus thought, feeling very happy for his son to have such nice friends and classmates. _'Thank Merlin that we don't have different houses here.'_

HP

Just after a house-elf had mixed the joke potion, which the Weasley twins had secretly brewed during the night, under the teachers' drinks, the headmistress rose from her chair, pointing to the newly established hour-glasses at one side of the Hall Magnifique, and explained about the new point system.

"The new system commences right away, and even if it's only about four months until the end of the school year, we're going to have a winner, who will be announced at the leaving feast," she informed the students, causing the first years to pale visibly.

_tbc..._

_Thank you for your kind comments, here and on FB..._


	9. Chapter 9

**The Nice School of Magic**  
><strong>by Healer Pomfrey<strong>

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
>I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.<em>

_**This story is COMPLETELY AU. If you don't likt it, don't read it!**_

* * *

><p>As soon as their head of the year took a sip from their glass, her hair turned green just like the heir of the teachers who were heads to older students and therefore sitting at the teachers' table.<p>

"I think it was the first years," Amelia whispered to Severus in clear amusement. "Look how pale they are, and they don't even dare laughing."

Severus merely returned a grin, wondering who of the first years apart from Harry was adept enough to brew such a potion and when they'd have had the time to do such a thing. _'Harry wouldn't brew such a potion without my permission. That's for sure,'_ he thought, knowing that his son was very responsible in spite of his young age.

_'I forgot to ward the Potions classroom,'_ he realised, resolving to charm the door to the classroom to alert him if anyone tried to get in like he had charmed his former classroom at Hogwarts.

HP

As soon as dinner was over, a huge group of students stood in front of the hour glasses, including all nineteen first years.

"How come that we've already fifty points, while all the others are empty?" Hermione blurted out what everyone else was wondering about. However, none of the teachers enlightened the students that the headmistress had personally awarded the points.

In spite of the success with the twins' prank potion that only wore off after twenty-four hours, the first years decided to not play any pranks for the time being.

"Instead, let's try to win against the other classes," Alicia suggested, and everyone agreed.

Like before Harry had been grounded, they spent every free minute in their tree house. When their head of the year and the headmistress took them into the city of Nice one Saturday morning, explaining that it was a reward for studying so diligently, they all put their pocket money together and bought a huge bag of sweets for Hagrid.

"It's about time that we go and thank Hagrid..."

"... for making that gorgeous tree house for us," the twins said, when all nineteen students walked up to the caretaker's hut upon their return from the city, and everyone agreed.

Hagrid was as delighted as he was surprised and ushered all the first years into his hut for some tea and rock cakes.

On their way back to their tree house, the first years agreed that Hagrid was a great friend, that they would be eternally grateful for the tree house, but that they'd never again give him the opportunity to invite them for rock cakes.

HP

Much too quickly for Harry's liking, the weeks until the end of the school year passed and the test week began. To his relief, he found that the tests were not overly difficult. _'Thank Merlin Hermione made us study so much,'_ he thought, when he trailed behind his friends to the last dinner before the end of the school year. _'I hope we managed to win against the other classes,'_ he thought in anticipation, knowing that at least at lunchtime, the first years had still be leading with 357 points before the seventh years with 343 points.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Susan suddenly addressed him, waiting for him at the door that lead inside the building. "Are you falling asleep?"

"Oh no," Harry replied, smiling. "Sorry, I was only thinking. It's going to be quiet when they all return home tomorrow, don't you think so?"

Susan smiled. "Well, yes, but at least there's two of us to remain here. It would be worse if one of us was going to be alone."

Harry could only full heartedly agree, thinking, _'And we're probably going to spend much time together, considering that her aunt and my dad seem to like each other a lot.'_

Harry was not mistaken. Like during the previous summer, his father spent the mornings in his private lab brewing potions for the hospital wing and allowed Harry to assist. However, whenever Severus decided to take off the afternoon from brewing, he and Harry made small excursions to interesting places together with Amelia and Susan.

The thought _'It's almost as if we were a real family'_ crossed Harry's mind, when they spent a sunny Saturday in Paris.

"It's strange," he thought aloud. "Although Paris is the capital of France, the magical shopping centre is not bigger than the one in Marseille."

"I think I like Marseille more though," Susan voiced her thought.

"They're both about the same size, and there's no big difference in the quality of the shops either," Severus added. "However, Paris has one thing that Marseille is missing." He glanced at Amelia.

"A magical hospital," she replied.

Severus chuckled. "Well, that was not what I meant, but it's true. A magical hospital we don't have in Marseille, and the Ministry of Magic is situated in Paris," he informed the children.

_'I'm going to found a hospital then, when I'm big,'_ Harry resolved, however did not voice the idea. He only told Hermione about the matter when he wrote to her the next morning before breakfast.

HP

Unbeknownst to Harry, Susan, who had already turned seven a few months ago, took the matter of his birthday into her own hands. She spoke with Amelia and Severus, before she wrote an invitation to all of their classmates, gratefully accepting that her aunt copied the invitation for her and that Severus turned the parchments into Portkeys.

Harry woke up to Barkymort trying to stick his tongue into his mouth. "Ahh, stop it Barky," he mumbled in disgust. "What is it? Do you need me to take you outside?"

Barkymort eagerly waggled his tail and proceeded to lick the boy's face with dedication.

"All right then, come," Harry said, annoyed but fairly awake by now. He wiped his face with both hands, before he scrambled out of bed, throwing his robes over his pyjamas as he crossed the room.

"Good morning, sleepy head," Amelia was the first to greet him as he entered the living room, trying to not stumble over Barkymort's tail.

"Happy Birthday, Harry," Susan added in clear excitement.

"Thank you," Harry replied and quickly opened their quarters' entrance door, so that Barkymort could run into the park and relieve himself.

"It's about time that you got up," Severus commented, dryly. "Breakfast in the Hall Magnifique is going to commence in fifteen minutes."

HP

When Harry entered the Hall Magnifique behind what he secretly thought of as his family, he stopped dead in his tracks. All of his classmates were gathered around the table together with the teachers, and, as soon as he stepped into the Hall, his guests began to sing the birthday song.

"Thank you," Harry replied like in a daze. "It's great that you're all here. Thanks so much for coming."

"Susan invited us all," Hermione supplied, "and we're going to stay overnight."

Harry stared at the girl in appreciation. "Thanks Susan," he whispered in a barely audible voice, only for his friend to hear."

Susan chuckled and whispered back. "That's my birthday present for you, Harry. You know that I don't have any pocket money left, after we spent the afternoon in Marseille the other day."

Harry grinned, remembering all too well how they had turned around all the centimes in their pockets three times, counting if they had enough to buy the huge Lego plate that they wanted for their tree house.

"This present is the best," he whispered, before he ran over to the others to greet each of his friends.

HP

After a huge breakfast, for which the house-elves had out-done themselves, Severus announced that Professor Bones, Professors Weasley and he were going to take the whole class to Marseille.

"Since you won against the other classes during the last school year," the headmistress spoke up, "your class will receive fifty Gaullions to spend in Marseille for something that you'd like to have for your common room. You don't have to spend it today if there's nothing you like. The money will still be yours."

A huge commotion followed, since none of the students apart from the four younger children had ever been to Marseille yet, and fifteen minutes later, a whole class of excited children stepped through the portal, which they had already admired so often. Arriving at the shopping street, the four teachers offered that the children could go in small groups of five students each, however, the class decided to remain together.

"I know what we could buy," Fred suddenly spoke up, causing his brother to agree immediately.

"Our mother has a clock..."

"... with all our names on it..."

"... and it shows where each of us is at the moment," the twins explained.

"Oh right, it would be great to know where someone is if one of us is missing, while everyone else is in the tree house," Cedric commented, and after a short discussion, the students asked the adults where to buy such a clock.

"I think there's a clock maker a few houses behind the wand maker," Bill spoke up, and the group quickly headed to the shop. Unfortunately, it was very small, so that the adults decided that Severus would go inside accompanied by the twins and Harry.

_'Of course Dad is the best, because he's the only one who knows about the tree house,'_ Harry thought, inwardly grinning, as he absentmindedly listened how the twins explained to the clock maker what kind of clock they wanted to have.

Unfortunately, the clock maker informed them that that specific clock with nineteen arrows on it would cost 75 Gaullions.

"Oh no, but you see..."

"... we're only nine..."

"... and we don't get so much pocket money yet," the twins spoke up, beseechingly.

"Very well then, sixty Gaullions," the shopkeeper relented. "It's quite difficult to charm it this way."

_'Maybe Professor Flitwick can apply the charms for us,'_ Harry thought and was just about to voice his idea, when his father spoke up.

"All right, we'll take it," Severus decided and added ten Gaullions to the fifty that his son's class possessed.

HP

Back at the school, the soon to be second-years rushed towards their tree house and put the clock on the wall.

"Harry," Angelina spoke up, thoughtfully. "Do you think we could ask your father if we may stay here overnight?"

"That would be absolutely cool," Terence added.

"Let's do that," Harry replied, smiling.

To their relief, Severus agreed, and after spending an hour in the library to do some research, Hermione managed to cast a silencing charm around the tree house to not alert anyone to their presence in the park in case the party was getting a bit louder during the evening.

_tbc..._

_Thanks to the kind readers who commented on the previous chapter! More soon - this story is already completed on FB..._


	10. Chapter 10

**The Nice School of Magic**  
><strong>by Healer Pomfrey<strong>

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
>I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.<em>

_**This story is COMPLETELY AU. If you don't likt it, don't read it!**_

* * *

><p>A few days later, when Harry and Susan visited Hagrid, the half-giant told them that there was a Kneazle cat family breeding behind some bushes near his hut.<p>

"They must feel very safe if they breed here," Susan spoke up in clear surprise, while Harry merely stared in disbelief.

"Yes, they do. It's quiet enough here," Hagrid agreed. "Do you want to see the kittens?"

"Yes," Harry was the first to reply in excitement.

The children observed how the mother cat was lying in the grass, while a bunch of about five or six kittens tried to get as close to her stomach as they could.

"Oh no, they're so cute," Susan blurted out, causing Harry to fully agree.

"Hagrid," he spoke up, thoughtfully. "What's going to happen to them when they're bigger? Will they remain here at the school?"

"Maybe they will, maybe they'll leave. We don't know that," Hagrid replied, thoughtfully. "I've seen the mother cat around for quite a while though."

"Would it perhaps be possible to give one of them to Hermione as familiar for her birthday?" Harry blurted out. "You know each of us has a cat or a dog, just Hermione doesn't..." He slowly trailed off.

"That's a wonderful idea," Susan came to his help. "Would that be possible, Hagrid?"

"Maybe yes, however, we still have to wait a few weeks before they'll be big enough to be able to live without their mother. I'll see to it that you get the kitten on time."

HP

When the students came back just a month later, Harry and Susan spent the whole afternoon with the new first years, showing them the school, the beach and the grounds - with the exception of their tree house of course. They also patiently replied to all questions, and when they finally led the group to the Hall Magnifique for dinner, Harry had the impression as if they had gained a whole group of new friends.

_'They're really all very nice,'_ he thought. _'I wonder how the students are next year. They'll be all our age, and usually we'd have to attend classes with them.'_

"Thank Merlin that we did all well enough in our end of year tests, so that no one can demand that we begin school from the first year again next week," Hermione replied, when Harry voiced his thought in front of his three best friends later on.

HP

For the night before Hermione's birthday, Harry and Susan organised a midnight party that was going to take place in the tree house. They had asked Cicero, Severus' personal house-elf for a nightly snack in the tree house. The twins had consulted their older brother Charlie, after having him swear his secrecy, for an alarm spell that would wake them up at midnight.

Since the entrances to the girls' dormitories were charmed, so that boys were unable to enter them, Harry sent Barkymort to wake up Susan, who then hurried through both girls' dormitories to wake up her classmates.

The second years spent an enjoyable night in the park, during which the second years gave Hermione the Kneazle cat. Hermione was over the moon with joy.

"I think I'm going to name her Crookshanks," she said, thoughtfully. "I've read something..." She trailed off to gently cuddle the kitten close.

The second years only returned to their beds at three o'clock in the morning. In the morning, however, most of them regretted their nightly adventure and were unable to stomach any food.

"Let's just miss breakfast all together," Cedric suggested.

"Yes..." the twins agreed.

"... that's better than if only half of us miss it."

However, by the time Amelia strode into the second years common room together with the healer to enquire about the second years' whereabouts, the clever students were already assembled in front of the Potions classroom.

To their relief, Amelia, who had become their head of the year, was very understanding and, knowing that it was Hermione's birthday and her students had obviously had a party during the night, she did not take points from the second years, knowing that they would be punished enough by having to attend classes after the nightly event.

HP

The second year passed as peacefully and quietly as the first. The only difference was that the teachers had finally made a plan in order to pull through with a Quidditch tournament between the classes.

Cedric became the captain of the second years' team and took the position of the Keeper, while Harry became Seeker, Angelina, Alicia and Adrian Chasers, and the twins played as Beaters.

Although Madam Hooch as well as Amelia instructed them to not expect to win the Quidditch cup, since 90 percent of the students were much older and powerful than themselves, Harry managed to catch the Snitch in every match. At the end of the year, the second years did not only win the Quidditch cup, however, but also the class competition again.

"We're just the best," the twins spoke up in a simultaneous sing-sang, causing everyone to laugh.

Just like in the previous year, the teachers decided to award the winning class a visit to Marseille along with fifty Gaullions to spend for something that they wanted for the common room.

HP

When all students but Susan and Harry had left in the morning, Amelia and Severus ushered their children into the Snapes' living room for a small conversation.

Susan and Harry exchanged a confused look, unable to remember what they might have done that was against the rules. However, the conversation turned out to revolve about something completely different.

"As you might have noticed by now," Severus began to speak in his soft voice that made both children realise that they were not going to be scolded for anything, "Amelia and I don't overly dislike being together."

_'What?'_ Harry thought, only to roll his eyes in annoyance at his father's complicated way of speaking, when his father continued, "Therefore, we have decided to magically connect our living rooms and try out how it would be to live together.

"I like that," Susan spoke up, smiling at Harry, who returned an uncomfortable look.

"Are you sure that we won't be in your way?" he asked in a barely audible voice, turning his gaze to his father.

"Of course not," Severus replied, sounding upset. "You're both our children and belong to us. You should know by now that we're not like the Dursleys."

"That's true," Harry said in relief, feeling very much reassured.

During the rest of the day, both children helped the adults rearrange the two living rooms to one big one, which in their opinion was a very funny affair.

"This really has advantages," Susan said to Harry, when they sat in Harry's room later on playing with Barkymort. "It's much easier to play with each other, as we don't even have to leave our quarters."

"Yes, that's great," Harry agreed. "And somehow we're like a real family. I'm really happy now."

"Me too," Susan agreed, as she observed, giggling, how Barkymort tried to catch his stuffed dog back from Harry.

HP

A few days later, Amelia and Severus told the children that the headmistress had arranged for possible new first years and their families to visit the school on the first of July.

"Since the new first years are of the same age as you, we hope that you'll show your best behaviour and tell them everything that they want to know about our school," Severus said in a stern voice. "These parents come with their children in order to get to know our school and decide if they want to send their children here or rather wait three more years and send them to Hogwarts."

"So far, thirty students are supposed to come with their parents, some also with older or younger siblings," Amelia added.

"I have an idea," Harry spoke up and, seeing six eyes directed at him, continued, "You know our tree house. Maybe we could ask Hagrid to make another one on a different tree, but not a secret but one that's visible to the whole school and much smaller, only for about five students. All students from all classes could use it just together with their best friends..." He unsurely looked from one to the other.

"That's a brilliant idea," Susan was the first to comment. "Maybe Hagrid could even make two on two different trees. We can ask if there's anything that we can do to help."

"Excuse me," Amelia spoke up, seemingly confused. "Tree house?"

Harry and Susan stared at each other in shock. "Oh no," Harry said, sighing. "I'm sorry Amelia. It was supposed a secret. Only Dad got to know about it by chance. Two years ago, Hagrid built a tree house for us. It's charmed to be invisible, and our whole class fits in. Please keep this information to yourself though. It's our class' secret."

Amelia began to laugh. "So that's where you're always hiding. Of course I will keep your secret, however, I believe that it would be all right to let the teachers in onto the secret. They wouldn't give you out to anyone but would probably want to admire your secret place."

"It's a fantastic place," Severus threw in. "The children have done well making it to what it is now. We could cast a charm at our colleagues that makes it impossible for them to speak about it. Would that be all right with you?" he queried, quirking an eyebrow at the children.

"All right," Susan and Harry agreed, simultaneously.

"How about making a short detour to the headmistress' office to receive her agreement for two tree houses and then paying Hagrid a visit?" Amelia suggested. "Maybe on the way back you could show me your tree house if you don't mind?"

HP

During the following two days, Harry and Susan eagerly helped Hagrid build five more tree houses in adequate trees. While they could not assist much with the building of the outside walls, they instructed the elves what they wanted inside and busied themselves decorating the small rooms to make them as cosy and comfortable as possible.

When everything was finished, Minerva, Amelia and Severus came to view the project.

"This is amazing," the headmistress spoke up, looking at the inside of one of the tree houses in awe.

Severus chuckled. "Let our children show you theirs. It's even more brilliant," he suggested.

Susan and Harry proudly allowed the headmistress into their tree house, in which their whole class had worked together over two years to make it as comfortable and cosy as it was.

"This is amazing," the headmistress said to her colleagues, back on the ground. "Why don't we expand the other five tree houses, or at least four of them, so that the five lower classes can all have their own tree house? They must not be secret of course, and the head of year must be able to access the house."

HP

By the time the eight-year-olds came to visit the Nice School with their families, the school possessed six tree houses, one small one for everyone's use and five that were big inside for the five lower classes to use. One of them was invisible to everyone else, and all five class tree houses were charmed so that people from other classes were only able to access them on explicit invitations.

"Too bad that I can't award points during the holidays," the headmistress told Harry and Susan, regrettably. "Otherwise, your class would receive points for this brilliant idea."

"That was the twins," the children replied, simultaneously.

"And Harry saw to it that Hagrid built it for us," Susan added, proudly.

"Are any of our classmates going to come with their younger siblings?" Harry asked, curiously.

However, Minerva contented herself to merely smile at the excited boy and replied, "I'm sure that you're going to have much fun tomorrow."

_tbc..._

_Thanks to the kind readers who reviewed the last chapter. To the other 1000+ readers: Are you still interested in this story?_


	11. Chapter 11

**The Nice School of Magic**  
><strong>by Healer Pomfrey<strong>

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
>I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.<em>

_**This story is COMPLETELY AU. If you don't likt it, don't read it!**_

* * *

><p>Harry saw a lot of unknown faces, before he noticed two well known redheads in absolute delight. "Susan, come. The twins," he shouted in excitement and ran over to greet his friends, only slowing down upon realising that the twins were together with their parents and two younger siblings.<p>

"These are Harry Snape..."

"... and Susan Bones," the twins introduced them to their family, before they introduced their parents as well as their brother Ronald and their sister Ginny to their friends.

"Welcome to the Nice School," Susan said in a soft voice, smiling at the children.

"Are you already students here?" Ronald asked in disbelief. "You don't look older than me."

Apparently realising that Harry and Susan slightly hesitated, the twins told their siblings that Harry had his father and Susan her aunt at the school and that they had been attending classes with them already for two years.

"Oh Mum, Dad, may I attend the Nice School too, even if I'm a year younger?" Ginny spoke up in apparent excitement. "I've got two brothers teaching here."

Before anyone could reply to the girl's outburst, the headmistress called all children together and announced that Harry, Susan and the older siblings - which, as far as Harry could make out, were none other than the twins - would give the children a tour around the school, while the teachers were ready to speak with the parents. To Harry and Susan she said that she expected everyone in the Hall Magnifique for lunch in two hours' time.

_'That's a lot of time,'_ Harry thought, feeling very relieved when the twins apparently decided to lead the group.

HP

"Show us the tree house," Ronald demanded, causing the twins to cast him furious looks.

"Shut up Ron..."

"... which part of being a secret did you not understand?" the twins asked, sounding uncharacteristically upset.

"It's all right, Fred and George," Harry threw in, calmingly, and informed the twins about the new tree houses for all the younger classes.

"Each class has its own tree house?" a blonde boy queried. "That sounds like a lot of fun."

"It is," Harry confirmed, smiling. Turning to the twins, he suggested, "Shall we show them the park first then?"

Everyone agreed, and Harry ushered the perhaps-to-become new first years into the first years' tree house, where the twins motioned everyone to sit down and introduce themselves.

Harry learned that the blonde boy who had spoken up earlier was Draco Malfoy. He had heard the name before, because his father had told him that he was the boy's godfather, but that he didn't dare hoping that the boy was going to attend the Nice School, since his father was the new headmaster of Hogwarts.

_'He seems nice though,'_ Harry thought and listened with interest how Seamus Finnigan, Blaise Zabini, Terry Boot, Ernie Macmillian, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hannah Abbott, Lavender Brown, Mandy Brocklehust, Lisa Turpin, Millicent Bulstrode and Pansy Parkinson introduced themselves, before he became distracted when Barkymort caught up with him and began to lick his face over and over.

When the thirty eight-year-olds were finished with their introductions, the twins led the whole group through the greenhouses into the school building and showed them the library, the classrooms, the first years' common room and dormitories, before they finally brought the whole group to the beach.

They explained about the Quidditch tournament as well as the class competition and emphasized, proudly, that so far their class had won the class competition twice.

Sooner than Harry had expected it, it was time to lead the children to the Hall Magnifique, where they explained that Professor Flitwick had charmed the ceiling to look like the sky outside.

"This place is amazing," a boy, who had introduced himself as Blaize earlier, spoke up. "Why should I wait three more years to get into Hogwarts, when this school seems at least as interesting?"

"That's true," several others immediately agreed, causing Harry to smile.

_'We're going to have Defence together with them,'_ he recalled. _'But they all seem to be nice. I hope they'll all decide to attend our school.'_

Only after the visitors had returned home, the headmistress announced that twenty parents had immediately registered their children for the Nice School, while ten others had informed her that they'd consider the matter and would possibly send an owl before the deadline that was fixed for 31 July.

HP

By the time school commenced at the first of September, there were 25 new first years. During the first week, Harry, Susan, Hermione and Neville took turns spending some time in the first years' common room or tree house to get to know the first years and help them adjust to the school.

Harry could not help enjoying their Defence classes together with the first years. _'They're really all very nice,'_ he thought, _'maybe apart from Ron Weasley. He keeps complaining about things the whole time, and I don't like that he fights so much with the other students, especially with Draco.'_

Sometimes, he even had the impression as if Ron was jealous of him, because he was already a third year in spite of being of the same age and because of being best friends with the twins. However, Harry did not care, and he merely chose to ignore the other boy's tirades.

HP

Like during the previous year, the now third years spent most of their free time in their greenhouse, to which they had added a corner for Barkymort and the cats to play and rest. Seeing how much fun their classmates had with their familiars, half of the students had brought cats with them at the beginning of the school year. Fortunately, Barkymort got along with the cats well, however, whenever he spotted different cats, who were not familiars of any of Harry's classmates, he always barked at them.

Once again, the school year passed peacefully and uneventfully - except for the Christmas holidays, during which Severus and Amelia informed Susan and Harry that they had decided to get married in the summer.

"I think it's absolutely cool," Harry blurted out, when he and Susan had retreated into the tree house together with Barkymort like they often did, even during the holidays.

"Yes, I think so too," Susan replied, smiling. "Then we're a real family, aren't we?"

Harry merely nodded, happily.

HP

Finally, the school year ended with the third years winning both awards once again.

On the one hand, Harry was glad that the end of year test were over, and he was looking forward to spending some time with his family, to which he already counted Amelia and Susan, however, on the other hand, he was sad to see his friends return home for two months.

The first week of the holidays passed quietly. As in previous years, Harry spent the morning assisting Severus in his lab, and sometimes even Susan joined them. During the afternoons, Harry and Susan, who were always together, spent much time roaming not only the grounds, but also the surroundings of the school together with Barkymort.

HP

One day, they went to the nearby Muggle beach and bought ice creams, which they took to the magical beach and made themselves comfortable on the low wall next to the portal leading to Marseille.

"Look what I brought for you," Harry told Barkymort, smiling as he produced a bone out of his jeans pocket.

The dog happily waggled his tail and began to busy himself with the bone, while Susan and Harry began to discuss what in the world they could give their parents for their wedding that was going to take place in two weeks' time.

"I don't have a clue," Harry groaned. "It's not as if we could brew fruit drops or such a thing for them like we do for our friends."

"I don't have an idea either," Susan added, sighing. "Maybe we should ask Professor McGonagall or the Weasleys or someone."

Harry remained thoughtful for a moment, before he became distracted when Barkymort suddenly began to bark, letting his bone fall into the sand.

"Barkymort, what's wrong?" Harry asked, alert. However, he could not see anything out of the order.

"Look, over there," Susan whispered, pointing in the direction into Barkymort was dashing away.

"Draco's father," Harry recognised the man who was striding over the beach in a fast pace. "What's he doing here? Maybe something happened with Draco. Barkymort, come here," he called back the dog - inefficiently.

Barkymort was now walking right next to the tall man, growling and barking at him. However, Malfoy stepped right in front of the children and spoke up.

"Mr. Potter, I heard that you have become good friends with my son Draco?" he asked, looking at Harry in expectation.

"Yes sir, I'm Harry Snape though," Harry replied in confusion. 'Barely anyone knows that I was Harry Potter before,' he thought.

"I do not wish my son to be friends with someone like you," the older wizard continued to speak. "Maybe this will help you remember this." With that he raised his wand and pointed it at Harry, mumbling an incantation that they could not fully hear let alone understand.

Malfoy just finished casting his spell, before Barkymort attacked the evil wizard, hurting him badly. However, Malfoy still managed to apparate away, leaving the children alone on the beach, stunned.

"Harry, are you all right?" Susan finally asked, horrified.

"Yes, I'm fine. I've no idea what that spell did to me," Harry replied, not feeling any different from before. "Thanks Barkymort for hurting Malfoy. He's really evil."

"Anyway, I'm going to take you to your father now," Susan said in determination. "Maybe he or Professor Pomfrey can assess what the spell did to you and how to counter it."

Harry grudgingly agreed, not feeling in the mood to enjoy the rest of his ice cream on the beach now anyway.

"We should ask the professors to ward the beach, although Malfoy's the father of a student, so maybe they can't keep him out," Harry said, thoughtfully, while they returned home.

"Parents don't have to be able to come here except for special occasions though. Let's speak with the adults about it," Susan said in a firm voice.

HP

During the rest of the afternoon, Severus and Poppy cast all possible diagnostic spells at the boy, however, neither of them was able to found out what the spell was that Malfoy had cast at Harry.

"When you feel any different, you must come to see me again immediately," Poppy instructed him in a strict voice. "Maybe if you show any symptoms or effects, we'll be able to find out something."

"All right," Harry replied, obediently, feeling it very unsettling to know that he was probably going to have problems in the near future.

HP

At breakfast the following morning, Harry received a letter from Draco.

_'Harry,_

_I must warn you. I told my father that we have become friends, and he was very upset and told me that he don't want me to be friends with scum like you and that he would harm you so you remember to stay away from me._

_I don't care what he wants, so I'm going to remain friends with you, but please be careful. If he sends you a letter, don't open it, as it will surely be poisoned._

_Your friend_

_Draco'_

Frowning, Harry handed the letter to his father.

_tbc..._

_Thanks to the kind readers who reviewed yesterday's chapter. _


	12. Chapter 12

**The Nice School of Magic**  
><strong>by Healer Pomfrey<strong>

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
>I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.<em>

_**This story is COMPLETELY AU. If you don't likt it, don't read it!**_

* * *

><p>During the remaining weeks of the holidays, Harry did not feel in any way strange, and over his parents' wedding, the open day for the new first years and his own birthday, to which once again all of his classmates visited him, he slowly forgot about the spell that Mr. Malfoy had cast at him.<p>

It was in the morning of Hermione's tenth birthday that Harry began to feel slightly ill during their Transfiguration class. However, it was not bad, and he knew better than to complain anyway.

Since their head of the year was Tonks, the new Arithmancy professor, who did not know about the fourth years' habit to hide in their tree house yet, the students decided to hold a midnight party in the tree house, like they had done many times before.

Unfortunately, in the morning, no one was in the mood to eat breakfast after filling their bellies with all kinds of delicacies during the night, and the fourth years decided to skip breakfast all together. This did not go well with the teachers though, and Poppy, with whom the fourth years were going to have their first morning class anyway, headed to the fourth years' common room and magically locked the door, so that no one could get out without having her check on the student beforehand. Beginning with the girls' dormitories, she checked on each student, handing out a stomach soothing potion to some of them, before she turned to the boys' dormitories.

_'Of course we're last,'_ Harry thought, grimly, knowing from experience that the potion Poppy used to hand out in such cases was absolutely disgusting.

"Harry, you're running a slight temperature," Poppy suddenly spoke up after checking on him. "Are you feeling all right?"

Harry nodded. "I'm just a bit sore, but it isn't bad," he admitted in a small voice.

"Are you sure that you want to attend classes?" Poppy asked and, seeing Harry nod again, grudgingly let him go.

However, when Poppy unobtrusively checked on Harry again at the end of the Healing class, his temperature had risen a few points, and she instructed the child to come to see her after the last afternoon class or even earlier if he felt worse.

HP

Unfortunately, Harry felt worse by the hour, and when he returned to the hospital room after his Charms class in the afternoon, he felt all over sore and feverish.

However, as much as the healer waved her wand over him, she was unable to diagnose anything apart from a moderate fever and a bad headache.

"Harry, I should keep you here," she said, thoughtfully. "I'll ask your father to come and check on you as well. Maybe he has a clue what might be wrong. I suspect that it's an effect of the spell that Mr. Malfoy cast on you, but I'm not sure." She made Harry drink a fever reducing potion and a pain relieving potion, giving him a sharp look.

"It's a bit better, thank you," Harry mumbled, noticing that both potions had helped but only so much.

"Please go and send Professor Snape to me," Poppy instructed the students, and Harry saw that Hermione and Neville hurried away, while Susan sat on the edge of his bed, gently taking his hand into her own, cool hands.

"Don't worry, Harry, it'll be all right, and I'll be here with you," she said in a soothing voice, bringing a small smile to Harry's lips.

HP

In the morning, Harry felt much better, even if not completely well, and Poppy grudgingly allowed him to attend classes. However, after his Defence class together with the now second years in the early afternoon, Harry felt outright ill and did not protest when Professor Lupin instructed Susan to take him to the hospital room.

"I'm lost," Poppy admitted to Amelia and Severus, who came into the hospital room right after the last afternoon class, hearing that Harry was ill. "Every day, his condition worsens. He's running a high fever and is all over sore, but I still can't diagnose anything."

"It must have been a dark spell, that's for sure," Severus said, grimly. "I just hope that it won't get life threatening."

Amelia sighed. "Harry is strong, Sev," she said in a soft voice. "He'll pull through this."

"Susan always stays with him," Poppy said, smiling as she pointed to the bed, where Susan was quietly talking to Harry, gently holding his hand. "I think they're both very happy to have a real family now."

HP

In the morning, Harry's condition was better, however, still worse than in the previous morning, and Poppy outright refused to let him go.

"No Harry, you're going to stay here today, at least for the time being," she said, resolutely. "You even have some company today," she added, lightly, pointing to the bed next to him, where Professor Lupin was resting after the night of the full moon."

"Oh, was it the full moon?" Harry asked, compassionately. After two summers of trying in vain to invent a wolves cure potion together with his father, he of course knew about the Defence professor's ailment.

"Yes, but both of you need some rest, before you'll be well enough for any kind of conversation," Poppy replied, before she called Misty and asked her for breakfast for Harry.

During the afternoon, the professor told Harry about his mother, whom he had known well, and Harry was delighted. Even if his father spoke about his mother from time to time, Professor Lupin told him completely different things.

The following day was a Saturday, and Poppy allowed Harry to return to the common room with the clear instruction to not do any homework nor anything strenuous. "This includes activities like flying or such," she added in a stern voice.

HP

If his classmates were disappointed that they had to spend the weekend in the common room instead of the tree house, as it was not debatable to leave Harry alone or just with his friends, they did not show it. Instead, the twins brought a pile of books from the library and instructed everyone to use the quiet time planning pranks that they could play on the teachers. By the end of the weekend, the fourth years were in possession of a list with two dozen pranks, which they deemed worth playing on the teachers.

On Sunday evening, the class decided to play the first prank. They took all of their cat familiars with them into the Hall Magnifique for dinner and instructed them to roam the Hall around the teachers' table. As soon as they reached the Hall, Cedric and Adrian cast a spell at the professors who were sitting at the teachers' table that made them bark like dogs as soon as a cat came nearby.

_'Pity that it doesn't hit all teachers, since the heads of the lower classes are still sitting with their classes,'_ Harry thought, glancing at Tonks, who was very nice and always much fun.

"Is something wrong?" Tonks enquired, apparently noticing the excitement that spread over the fourth years' table.

"No, not at all..."

"... we're only glad..."

"... that the weekend is over..."

"... and looking forward..."

"... to having classes again in the morning," the Weasley twins reassured her, giving everyone the opportunity to laugh as much as they wanted.

Suddenly, their attention was drawn to the teacher's table, where Professors McGongall and Snape were just having what seemed to be a barking contest.

_'This is too funny,'_ Harry thought in amusement. _'We should do such a thing more often. We just have to be careful that no one catches us. Otherwise, we won't be able to win the contest at the end of the school year.'_

Fortunately, everyone laughed as much as the fourth years, and no one was able to find out the culprits that were behind the prank.

HP

To Harry's relief, his condition improved every day, and by Monday morning, he felt almost back to normal again. For a few more days, he was still more tired than usual and easily got headaches, but it was not bad enough to even mention the matter to anyone. _'Thank Merlin,'_ he thought in relief. _'I already feared that it was something permanent that Malfoy did to me. Maybe it wasn't even a spell but just a cold,'_ he thought, feeling completely relieved and happy again.

Unfortunately, two weeks later, his ailments began anew. At first, he only felt that his head and eyes hurt slightly, however, after a week of daily worsening ailments, he found himself once again in the hospital room with a sore body accompanied by a high fever. Just like the last time, his illness was at a peak on the day, when Professor Lupin joined him in the hospital wing, and it took a week before his ailments were completely gone again.

"I wonder if it has something to do with the full moon," Poppy said, pensively, when Amelia and Severus joined Harry like they always did when his condition was poor. "On the other hand, even if during the full moon, his condition improves when he rests."

HP

It was only during the summer holidays that Harry found out that his condition worsened when he did magic - however, not always. He only had problems during the two weeks around the full moon, while he was completely healthy during the other two weeks.

One day after the full moon, the nine-year-old told Severus and Amelia about his suspicion, causing his father to look at him in apparent concern.

"I've never heard of anything like that," he stated. "This must be a very old, dark spell. I'll do some research in order to find out something about it, but it might be a long time before we'll be able to reverse the spell if at all, and as complicated as it is, it won't be reversible by a potion I'm afraid." Sighing, he continued, "Please try to not use magic during these days, especially not right before and after the full moon. I'll inform my colleagues accordingly, before school begins again."

HP

During the following school year, Harry slowly got used to living with his illness, although it was not always possible for him to completely prevent himself from doing magic around the full moon, especially since the now fifth years had to do more magic in class than the younger students.

After Draco had told him that his father was asking about Harry's condition from time to time, Harry was especially careful during their Defence class - not because he did not trust Draco, but because his father had warned him that Lucius Malfoy would be able to use Legilimency or even Veritaserum on his son.

"I wished we could somehow get back to Malfoy," Hermione spoke up, when she kept Harry company in his dormitory in the evening of the full moon, together with Susan and Neville.

"I fully agree, but how?" Neville asked, doubtfully.

Harry let out a long sigh, before he moaned, "Getting back at him probably wouldn't help me anyway."

"But still he deserves it," Susan agreed with the others, gently bathing Harry's flushed face with a towel that was charmed to remain wet and cool.

HP

One day, when Harry attended the third years' Defence class together with his three friends on the day after the full moon, in spite of not feeling well enough, as he was still trying to hide his ailments from Draco, his blonde friend took him aside.

"Harry, this morning I received a letter from my father," Draco informed him. "From the next school year onwards, when I'm eleven, he wants me to attend Hogwarts."

Harry stared at his friend in shock. "Well, he's the headmaster there, but you're really happy here, aren't you?"

"Exactly," Draco said, darkly. "I'll have to think of a plan. I don't want to attend Hogwarts, especially because he's the headmaster. He thinks that I'm on his side, but I'm not."

Harry nodded in understanding. "I know, Draco," he said in a soft voice and offered, reassuringly, "If there's anything, I can do to help, let me know."

_tbc..._

_Thanks to the kind readers who commented on the previous chapter!_


	13. Chapter 13

**The Nice School of Magic**  
><strong>by Healer Pomfrey<strong>

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
>I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.<em>

_**This story is COMPLETELY AU. If you don't likt it, don't read it!**_

* * *

><p>Just a few days later, Severus asked Susan and Harry to come home for a moment after the last afternoon class.<p>

The two fifth years exchanged a surprised look, wondering what they had done, as it was not normal that their parents called them home during the week. However, from their parents' expressions, they realised soon that their visit in their quarters had nothing to do with any kind of punishment.

"In the summer," Amelia began to talk, smiling at the children who were sitting close to each other on the sofa, "you're going to have a small brother."

The silence following her announcement lasted a few seconds, before Susan spoke up in excitement. "Really? That's too cool, isn't it, Harry?"

"Absolutely," Harry agreed, smiling, happily. "When is he going to be born, and have you already decided on a name?"

Amelia and Severus laughed, seemingly relieved at their older children's reaction to the news.

"He's supposed to be born at the beginning of the summer holidays," Severus replied, "and we don't have a name yet."

"We thought we could ask you to find a nice name for your brother," Amelia added, causing Harry and Susan to exchange a glance of excitement.

"We'll think about it," Harry promised.

"What about Felix?" Susan suggested right away. "It means lucky in Latin, and I think our little brother can be very lucky to be born into a family with two parents, a brother and a sister who all love him very much, don't you think so, Harry?"

"I absolutely agree," Harry replied, grinning.

"I like the name," Amelia spoke up, giving Severus a questioning look.

"Very well," Severus agreed, before he made the children promise not to speak about the matter with anyone.

HP

On the first day of the summer holidays, Susan and Harry pestered their father to take them to Marseille, because they wanted to buy a teddy for Felix.

"We can simply conjure a teddy," Severus replied in apparent surprise, causing the children to groan in annoyance.

"No Dad, we want one that has several kind of charms applied to it..."

"... for example that it can play music..."

"... or say the baby's name," the children contradicted in firm voices.

"Very well," Severus said, rolling his eyes in apparent annoyance, "if you promise to stop speaking like the Weasley twins."

Harry and Susan laughed. "Why would we..."

"... We think it's funny," they replied, grinning.

"Sorry Dad, we'll try to not do it in your presence," Harry finally promised, not wanting to anger his father.

Severus gave him a sharp look. "Are you feeling well enough to go?" he queried. "The full moon is in two days' time."

"As long as I don't do magic, I'll be all right," Harry reassured him, and when Amelia confirmed that she was well able to remain alone in their quarters for a few hours, Severus grudgingly agreed to make a short visit to Marseille.

Unbeknownst to his wife, he made a short detour to the headmistress' office and asked Minerva to visit Amelia for a while just to make sure that Felix did not decide to become born during the next two hours.

HP

Two hours later, Severus, Susan and Harry returned with several items for Amelia and the baby shrunken in their robe pockets. Susan and Harry had spent all of their pocket money that they had received but not spent during the last school year for the teddy for Felix. The teddy was light blue, however, when the baby pushed its belly, it would change its colour. It said the name 'Felix', randomly in Harry's or Susan's voice upon noticing that the baby woke up, and it played music upon noticing that the baby was in some kind of distress. They had also applied a charm that would notify the parents whenever the baby was in distress, sick or any kind of danger.

Amelia thanked them profusely and made the teddy play music, which was possible by pressing one of the paws, before she laid the toy on her stomach for Felix to hear. "Now Felix, this is your first present from your great brother and sister. You're really a lucky baby," she cooed, making Susan and Harry feel very proud.

HP

Two days later, Felix was born. While Severus spent the evening of the full moon in the hospital wing with Amelia, the headmistress kept Harry and Susan company in their living room. Even if Harry was much better off than usually during the full moon, since he had barely done any magic during the last few days, he was still sick, and Severus did not want him to be alone just with his sister, who was only a few months older than himself.

"Granny Minerva," Harry spoke up, pensively. "I've already spoken with Dad about this and he said there was nothing we could do about it, but do you perhaps have an idea how we could help Draco? His father wants him to attend Hogwarts, but Draco wants to remain here." He gave the headmistress a pleading look.

The old witch let out a long sigh. "I've heard about it, and I'm very sorry for Draco, but your father is right," she said, sounding sorry about the matter. "There's nothing that we can do about it, because Mr. Malfoy is his father and guardian. Even if Draco ran away from Hogwarts, we wouldn't be able to keep him here, as his father could accuse us of child abduction," she added.

"Okay," Harry said in understanding, feeling very sad for his friend.

"If he continues being a Death Eater, he'll perhaps end up in Azkaban sooner or later," Susan threw in. "Then Draco would be able to come back. He once said that his mother didn't mind him attending our school."

McGonagall was unable to hide a grin. "Let's hope that he'll have to go to Azkaban very soon," she said, smiling, just when Severus strode into the room.

"You may come now," he told the children, casting Harry a concerned look, before he thanked the headmistress for looking after the children.

"It was a pleasure," Minerva replied, smiling. "By the way, congratulations, Severus."

HP

Felix was just cute. He was the spitting image of his father with black hair and onyx eyes, and Susan and Harry very hesitantly took turns holding the little tyke for a short while, before he began to whimper and was given back to his mother to be fed.

During the following two months of the holidays, Susan and Harry felt very big when they helped Amelia change Felix' nappy and bathe him. They also cuddled with the baby and read him stories from the many baby books that he had received from their parents' colleagues.

At first, Amelia was very hesitant about letting Barkymort near the baby, however, once, when they woke up in the morning, Barkymort was lying in the baby's cot next to Felix, and they were peacefully asleep, cuddled against each other. Ever since then, the protective mother did not mind Barkymort near Felix, especially after witnessing how careful the dog was to not harm the baby.

_'I can't wait until he's big enough to walk,'_ Harry thought one day. _'Then we can take him with us to the common room or even into the tree house.'_

HP

It was on Harry's eleventh birthday, two weeks away from the next full moon, that Harry suddenly felt a sharp pain in his scar, which lasted for about two minutes, before he lost consciousness.

**One thousand miles in the North...**

Albus Dumbledore was standing in the Transfiguration professor's office at Hogwarts, gently stroking Fakwes' head feathers.

"I hope the spell worked," he said, sighing in exasperation. "I also hope that it didn't overly harm Harry. I wouldn't want to ruin his birthday party. Oh well, Fawkes, I believe that it's time for me to retire from Hogwarts. Don't you think so?"

#I fully agree, old chick,# Fawkes replied, fluffing his feathers. #I can imagine much nicer nests than this one turned out to become. There are too many bad eggs in here nowadays.#

Dumbledore nodded his agreement. Pulling a parchment and a quill out of his drawer, he wrote his note of retirement addressed to the current headmaster of Hogwarts, before he called Twinkle, his personal house-elf.

"Twinkle, from today onwards, we're going to reside at Dumbledore Manor," he informed the elf. "Please gather some of the elves from Dumbledore Manor and take all my personal belongings to the Manor, before you take this letter to the headmaster," he instructed the elf, who had already been his elf for a very long time and was able to understand him without many explanations.

Leaving the library book, from which he had cast one of the most important spells that he had ever cast in his life a few minutes earlier, open on his desk, he held out his arm to Fawkes, who landed on his arm, before he flashed away instantly.

It was a few hours later, when he was sitting in his favourite armchair at Dumbledore Manor, Fawkes perched on his knee, that he witnessed the following conversation through his portrait in the headmaster's office at Hogwarts and the one in his Manor.

Lucius Malfoy leaned into the fireplace. "Bella, I need you here now," he shouted.

An instant later, Bellatrix Lestrange stepped through the fireplace. "Bella, I need you as the new Transfiguration professor from September onwards. The old coot has left," Malfoy informed her, seemingly happy.

"All right," Bellatrix cooed. "I can move in immediately. Are the office and the quarters empty?"

"Husky," Lucius called his house-elf. "Check the office and the rooms for the Transfiguration professor."

"Yes Master Lucius," the elf replied, bowing deeply, before he vanished and popped in again, handing his master a book.

"Master Lucius, this book was open on the desk in the office," he informed the headmaster, before he was dismissed and popped away.

"Maybe it wasn't wise to let him in on what I've done," Albus said to his portrait in concern. However, it was too late to change anything now.

"Bella," Lucius spoke up, thoughtfully, after studying the spell for an instant. "We need to speed up. We can't wait until Halloween."

"All right, Lucius. I'm in," Bella promised.

_'Oh no,'_ Albus thought, feeling extremely annoyed at the whole situation. _'Oh well, I can only wait and see. Thank Merlin for my portrait in the headmaster's office and that Lucius is too stupid to turn it around before having his Death Eater meetings.'_

With that, he turned away from his portrait and headed to the library to do some research.

_tbc..._

_A huge thanks to the few but kind people who commented on the previous chapter!_


	14. Chapter 14

**The Nice School of Magic**  
><strong>by Healer Pomfrey<strong>

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
>I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.<em>

_**This story is COMPLETELY AU. If you don't likt it, don't read it!**_

* * *

><p>Seeing that Harry suddenly fell unconscious, his classmates shouted for the teachers, causing Severus, Amelia and Poppy to run over instantly.<p>

"What exactly happened?" Severus asked in a stern voice.

"He looked as if he was in pain for a moment, before he became unconscious," Hermione replied, while no one else had witnessed anything in particular.

"Enervate," Poppy said, quietly, pointing her wand at the boy.

The whole class observed how Harry slowly regained consciousness and looked around in confusion.

"What happened?" Poppy asked, giving him a sharp look.

"My scar suddenly hurt for a minute or two," Harry recalled.

"There's only one who can make your scar hurt," Severus spoke up in obvious concern, "the Dark Lord."

"It has never hurt before though," Harry said in a small voice, causing his father to sigh.

"Maybe he's coming back to life," he speculated, casting his son a worried look.

However, during the remaining month of the holidays, Harry's scar did not hurt again, and he slowly forgot about the matter.

It was on the first evening of the new school year, shortly after the welcoming feast was over and the sixth years had retired to their common room, that Harry suddenly gripped his head in pain.

**One thousand miles in the North...**

During the welcoming feast at Hogwarts, just after the students had been sorted, Professor Quirrell stormed into the Great Hall, shouting, "There's a troll in the dungeons."

Headmaster Malfoy rose from where he was sitting at the high table and instructed the students to remain in their seats, before he turned to the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. "Quirinus, as the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, it's your job to get rid of the troll," he ordered the frightened wizard, who nodded in understanding and left, slightly slower than he had arrived a minute before.

Only when the welcoming feast was almost over did the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher return to the Great Hall, and his colleagues realised in surprise that the strange professor was not stuttering anymore.

**In Nice...**

"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione and Susan asked, simultaneously, looking at the boy in concern.

"I don't know," Harry moaned. "Someone seems to be very happy, because he finally has a corporate body again. I think Voldemort must be back, as Dad said no one else can make my scar hurt."

"Harry," Susan spoke up, worriedly eyeing her brother. "Let's go home and speak with Dad."

HP

Closely followed by Barkymort, the two sixth years walked home, and Harry could not prevent himself from feeling very comforted at his sister's company.

"Thanks for coming with me," he told her, casting her a smile, which, however, did not reach his eyes.

"Any time, Harry," Susan replied, smiling. "This gives me the opportunity to visit Felix as well."

"That's true," Harry replied, before he hesitantly opened the door to the Snapes' quarters.

HP

"Susan, Harry," Amelia was the first to notice them in obvious surprise.

"Did something happen?" Severus added, eyeing the children in concern.

"I think that the Dark Lord is back," Harry spoke up, pointing to his scar that was still prickling even if it didn't hurt as much as before. "I can hear his thoughts, and he's very happy to have a real body again. It has to be him, doesn't it?" he queried, staring at his father in expectation.

"Yes son," Severus confirmed, seemingly horrified.

"Maybe it would be good if you could teach Harry Occlumency," Amelia suggested. "Who knows what Voldemort could do to him through their connection."

"Yes, that's a good idea," Severus admitted and instructed Harry, "From now on, please come home every day between the last afternoon class and dinner. I'll teach you how to occlude your mind, so that you'll be as safe as possible from him."

"May I accompany Harry and play with Felix in the meantime?" Susan enquired, giving their parents a pleading look.

"Of course dear," Amelia replied, smiling.

HP

Unbeknownst to the students, the teachers spent several hours during the weekend strengthening the wards around the school, the grounds and the beach, so that no one, not even the students' parents, would be able to enter any of these places.

"I don't think that the parents of any of our students are Death Eaters," Minerva said, thoughtfully. "However, I'm not going to take a risk."

"If for some reason someone wants to visit us, we can always allow them inside," Amelia added, fully concurring with the headmistress.

HP

During the following months, Severus taught Harry Occlumency, however, even if Harry did his best to protect his mind behind an image of Barkymort running through the shallow sea, he was not able to completely free himself from the visions that penetrated his mind through his scar.

Fortunately, during class time, the connection mostly remained quiet, probably because - at least according to Severus' speculation - the Dark Lord had probably taken over Quirrell's body and was now teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts. However, during the evenings, he often witnessed Voldemort's conversations with his Death Eaters.

To his annoyance, it became especially worse during the Halloween feast. First of all, while the sixth years were enjoying their dinner in the Hall Magnifique, Ronald Weasley, who was sitting at the fourth years' table right next to them, began a huge fight with Hermione and Susan, stating that one of their cats, who for some reason obviously seemed to despise his rat, had eaten his rat, considering that he had been missing now for three days.

"It's neither Hermione's nor Susan's fault, and their cats don't eat rats," Harry told the boy and shook his head in annoyance, glad when the twins interfered and told their younger brother off.

Just a few minutes later, his scar began to prickle, before he was pulled into a vision.

**Beginning of vision...**

Harry found himself in a small room, where Voldemort was speaking with Draco's father.

"Lucius, it's time to tell the wizarding world that I'm back," Voldemort spoke up. "Gather all that are still on our side. Right after the feast, we'll go and attack Diagon Alley."

"Yes, my Lord," Malfoy replied, eagerly. "It's good to have you back, my Lord."

"At the next occasion, we're going to attack the Nice school," Voldemort continued. "I finally have a spy there."

"Who is it, my Lord?" Malfoy queried in apparent surprise.

"Peter Pettigrew," Voldemort informed him, feeling very contented. "He lives at the school in the form of a rat, pretending to be a boy's pet."

**End of vision...**

As soon as he found himself back in his usual surroundings, Harry rose from his chair and walked over to the high table. "I just had a vision," he informed his father, not caring that the teachers who were sitting near Severus witnessed their conversation. "Voldemort is going to attack Diagon Alley tonight. Is there anything you can do to warn them, Dad? Granny Minerva? Please?"

"I'll floo-call Albus," the headmistress said in determination and, seeing Severus nod his agreement, rose from her chair.

"He also said something about having a spy here and that he was going to attack our school next," Harry remembered to inform the teachers.

"Harry, please come to my office after the feast and put the memory of your vision into my Pensieve," Minerva instructed him, seemingly horrified, before she turned towards the door and left.

Harry returned to the sixth years' table, unobtrusively eyeing the teachers' table to see when the headmistress would return. However, to his surprise, Minerva only came back after about thirty minutes. _'I wonder why it took her so long to warn Dumbledore,'_ he thought, looking at the teachers' table in surprise.

HP

Closely followed by Susan and Barkymort, Harry headed to the headmistress' office, as soon as the feast was over.

"I hope they won't succeed attacking our school," he said to Susan, while the teachers observed his memory in the Pensieve.

"Don't worry, Harry," Susan reassured him. "Since the teachers know in advance, they'll do something to prevent him from doing so. They've already charmed the wards to not let anyone in anyway."

"I hope you're right," Harry replied, sighing, just when he was pulled into another vision.

**Beginning of vision...**

"Lucius," Voldemort roared in anger, "how come that the Aurors knew about our plan to attack Diagon Alley tonight? Whom exactly did you tell about it?"

"I only informed our closest relations as well as our colleagues here. They're all on our side, my Lord," Malfoy replied, sounding very surprised.

"Find out who alerted them," Voldemort demanded, casting a dark spell at his most trustworthy follower. "You have spies in the Ministry, don't you?"

"Not with the Aurors, my Lord," Malfoy admitted, causing Voldemort to once again curse the white-haired wizard, before he dismissed him, still feeling extremely angered."

**End of vision...**

A small moan escaped from Harry's lips, when the headmistress' office manifested in front of his eyes. His father was hovering right in front of him, looking at him in concern.

"Was it a vision again?" he queried, causing Harry to nod.

He immediately put the memory into the Pensieve for the teachers to watch.

"Harry," his father turned to him upon leaving the Pensieve. "Could you only hear or also feel the curse?"

"I could feel it," Harry admitted in a small voice.

"That's what I feared," Severus replied and called Cicero, instructing him to bring him a phial of the Anti Cruciatus potion for Harry.

"Thanks a lot," Harry said, gratefully, after gulping down the potion in relief, just when the fireplace flared and Dumbledore's head appeared in the flames.

_tbc..._

_Thanks to the kind readers who commented on the previous chapter!_


	15. Chapter 15

**The Nice School of Magic**  
><strong>by Healer Pomfrey<strong>

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
>I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.<em>

_**This story is COMPLETELY AU. If you don't likt it, don't read it!**_

* * *

><p>"Minerva," Dumbledore spoke up, before he interrupted himself and asked, "Is that Harry?"<p>

"Yes Albus, that's Harry," Minerva replied, sounding slightly impatient.

"Harry, my boy, so nice to see you," Dumbledore addressed the boy. "I hope that I didn't spoil your birthday too much with the spell that I cast that day."

Harry merely stared at the old wizard in surprise, wondering why the man wanted to harm him. _'I thought only Voldemort could influence my scar,'_ he thought in confusion.

"What exactly did you do to Harry?" Severus queried, sharply.

The old wizard let out a long sigh. "Would it be all right to come over for a moment?" he then asked, causing Minerva to reluctantly allow her former colleague to step out of the fireplace.

"At that time," Dumbledore explained, "I cast a spell that killed all of Voldemort's Horcruxes at once. Unfortunately, I suppose that there was also a Horcrux in Harry's head, which was extracted and killed at that time, too."

"Horcrux?" Harry mouthed, looking at the old wizard in confusion, causing Dumbledore to patiently explain to Harry about Voldemort's Horcruxes.

"With the Horcruxes gone, it should be possible to just kill Voldemort," Dumbledore continued. "However, this was not why I called you tonight. I merely wanted to inform you that I sent Fawkes to catch the rat. He is indeed Peter Pettigrew, and I've transfigured him into a wooden rat, as which I intend to keep him until his trial. Tomorrow, I shall contact the Ministry to ask for a trial for him and Sirius Black, who might be innocent in hindsight of the Secret Keeper as well."

"Thank you, Albus, for taking these matters into your hands," Minerva spoke up, looking gratefully at her former colleague.

"Well, I suppose that it's easier to handle it from Dumbledore Manor than from here, wherever we're here," Dumbledore replied, before he remembered to offer lemon drops to everyone.

"This is the Nice School of Magic," Severus informed his former mentor, making the old wizard cast him a questioning look.

"Nice because it's such a nice school?" he asked in apparent amusement.

"Well, that might be implied as well, however, our school has its name from the city in which it's situated," Severus informed a very surprised Dumbledore.

During the following conversation, Dumbledore and the teachers of the Nice school agreed to cooperate as far as Voldemort was concerned. While Minerva would continue informing him about important visions, Dumbledore was going to relay information to her in case he witnessed any interesting conversations through his portrait in the Hogwarts headmaster's office and that in his own manor.

_'Strange, I always thought Dumbledore was evil,'_ Harry mused, when he trailed back to his dormitory shortly before midnight, accompanied by Susan and Barkymort. _'Oh well, compared to Voldemort, everyone must be good though, maybe except for Draco's father,'_ he thought.

HP

During the following months, Harry frequently had visions of Voldemort planning and attacking Muggles along with muggleborn students all over Britain. As promised, Minerva usually informed Dumbledore, even if it often was too late to warn people. Still, the head of the Wizengamot sometimes managed to rescue people along with a group of good friends who supported him against Voldemort.

Dumbledore in return informed Minerva about seemingly interesting conversations that took place in the headmaster's office of Hogwarts. It was during the first week of the summer holidays that Dumbledore once again called Minerva.

"Minerva, I'd like to step through and put a memory into your Pensieve," the old wizard said, seemingly urgent.

"Very well," Minerva agreed, who was just having tea together with Poppy, while they were babysitting Felix for a few hours.

Minerva and Poppy took turns watching the memory, before they profusely thanked their former colleague for the warning.

When the Snapes returned from Marseille and Amelia came to fetch Felix, Minerva instructed Malcolm, her house-elf, to fetch the rest of the Snapes in order to show them the memory.

Slightly hesitantly, Harry entered the headmistress' Pensieve together with his father and sister.

**Beginning of memory...**

"My Lord," Lucius Malfoy spoke to Voldemort who was sitting in front of his desk. "I have an idea how we can attack Harry Potter."

"Tell me now," Voldemort demanded, staring at the headmaster with impatience.

"I don't know if I told you that my son Draco attended the idiots' school for a few years so that I could spy on them to a certain extent," Malfoy began to explain, "however, ever since then he still pretends to be friends with Potter, and Potter invites him for his birthday every year. He always sends him a Portkey. We can use Draco's Portkey to get to the school and simply kill Potter."

"That's a good idea, Malfoy," Voldemort replied, seemingly contented. "See to it that you lay your hands on the Portkey as soon as your son receives it."

**End of memory...**

"Harry, when you send your invitation to your friends, you'll have to write Draco a letter explaining that you're grounded this summer and not allowed to have a birthday party as usual," Severus spoke up, as soon as they left the Pensieve.

Harry grudgingly agreed, knowing that he would not only endanger himself by inviting Draco but also everyone else including Felix, who had just turned one year old and absolutely adored his big brother and sister. _'Maybe I shouldn't invite anyone for my birthday, or just only Hermione and Neville,'_ he thought, resolving to discuss the matter with Susan later on. _'I wonder why I did not have a vision of his conversation with Malfoy,'_ he wondered.

When he voiced the thought, his father replied, pensively, "I always had the impression as if you were mostly pulled into scenes, in which the Dark Lord was very emotional. Maybe that's why you weren't pulled into this one."

HP

Harry should soon notice that his father's theory was correct, when he had a vision of Voldemort throwing a temper tantrum upon hearing that Draco was not invited to Harry's birthday. He even cursed the headmaster, and Harry once again needed his father to brew the Anti Cruciatus potion for him.

He should not have much time to ponder the matter, as Minerva surprised the permanent inhabitants of the Nice school with interesting news just a week before the usual open school day, on which the new first years would come to get to know the school.

"As you know," the headmistress informed everyone spending the summer at the school, "I'm working closely together with Professor Maxime from Bauxbatons." Seeing everyone nod, she continued, "Since a few years ago, I've been pestering her if she knew someone who might be interested to teach French at our school, however, so far, she could not introduce me to any possible candidate. This time, however, she informed me that one of her graduates was interested in the position."

"Oh finally," Susan blurted out, causing Harry to nod in excitement.

"Yeah, we really want to learn French," he added.

"Well, her name is Claudine Sautier, and I've invited her to come here for a conversation this afternoon," Minerva continued. "If everything goes well, maybe she'll join us for dinner tonight, so that you can all get to know her."

HP

During the afternoon, while they were playing with Felix and taking Barkymort for a walk, Susan and Harry eagerly discussed the prospect of having French classes soon.

"I can't wait," Harry said, eagerly.

"Me too," Susan agreed, smiling.

"I like especially that it doesn't afford magic," Harry added in a small voice, causing Susan to give him a sharp look.

"Are you feeling all right, Harry?" she asked in apparent concern. "The full moon is in a week, but you didn't do much magic, did you?"

Harry let out a long sigh, before he admitted that he had completely forgotten about the matter and conjured a couple of toys for Felix earlier, while Susan had helped Amelia sorting some parchments.

"You must be more careful, Harry," she lightly admonished her brother, before she glanced at her wrist watch, noticing that it was almost time for dinner.

"I hope the new teacher will be there," Harry replied, smiling, as they made their way to the Hall Magnifique.

HP

Professor Sautier was a very nice young witch and told everyone that they should just call her Claudine, even Susan and Harry, as long as they weren't in class. She then offered to give the students, who were interested, an intensive course during the last four weeks of the holidays and then teach beginners' courses and advanced courses during the school year.

"Yes..."

"... oh please agree..."

"... We'd really like to learn French..."

"... as soon as possible," Harry and Susan immediately begged the headmistress, causing their father to roll his eyes.

The Weasley brothers chuckled. "You're almost as good as our little brothers," Charlie said, grinning.

"Ah sorry," Harry replied, impatiently. "But... please."

"I'm sure most of our classmates will be interested, too," Susan added, pleadingly.

HP

Finally, the teachers decided to give in to the children's begging, and Minerva promised to write to all students and invite them for the voluntary holiday course.

As soon as dinner was over, Harry and Susan hurried home and wrote a letter to their classmates, which they magically copied and immediately sent out, hoping that their whole class was willing and able to attend.

By the time the open day approached, it was already clear that Claudine would have to teach two intensive classes, one in the mornings, and one in the afternoons, one consisting of students from all classes, one consisting of the complete soon-to-be seventh year class.

_'And they're all going to arrive on my birthday, because the class is going to begin on the first of August,'_ Harry thought, happily, when he stood next to Susan and Barkymort, waiting for the soon-to-be first years to arrive.

HP

As usual, Harry and Susan gave the eight-year-olds the tour around the school building, the beach and finally the grounds, patiently answering all questions that the younger witches and wizards had.

Unfortunately, it was the day of the full moon, and Harry was feeling quite miserable, even if he had not done much magic recently. Therefore, Susan and Harry just showed the first years the tree houses and offered that they could climb into the first years' tree house, while they'd wait for them on the ground.

"You didn't have to stay with me," Harry said in a small voice.

"Nonsense," Susan replied, giving her brother a worried look.

All of a sudden, their attention was drawn towards the other side of the park, from where two men were approaching them quickly. _'Voldemort and Malfoy'_ Harry realised in a daze.

_tbc..._


	16. Chapter 16

**The Nice School of Magic**  
><strong>by Healer Pomfrey<strong>

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
>I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.<em>

_**This story is COMPLETELY AU. If you don't likt it, don't read it!**_

* * *

><p>Before Harry could even do as much as warn Susan or act in any way, Barkymort rushed over to the evil wizards.<p>

The two children observed in shock how Voldemort began to cast the most unforgivable spell at Harry, right before Barkymort jumped against his arm, making the spell go in a completely unexpected direction, where it reached a much nearer aim.

Still completely stunned, Harry and Susan watched Malfoy sink to the ground, before Barkymort began to fervently attack Voldemort.

"Tina," Susan quickly called her and Harry's house-elf. "Please call our father and the headmistress and Professor Pomfrey," she instructed the elf, before she pulled first Harry and then Barkymort into bear's hugs.

"Barkymort," Harry spoke up in shock. "Thank you so much for saving my life."

_'My pleasure,'_ the dog thought to him, before he stood right in front of the boy with his front paws against his legs, so that he could reach up and lick his hands.

By the time Severus, Minerva and Poppy reached the children, Susan and Harry were sitting in the grass huddled against each other, while Barkymort was lying on their laps, peacefully chewing Voldemort's wand.

HP

"What happened here?" Severus asked, sternly.

While Harry absentmindedly noticed that the first years were climbing down from their tree house, giggling and chuckling, Susan explained to the adults what happened.

"Of course, we let all the wards down for the open day," Minerva said, groaning, before she interrupted herself and turned to Harry. "Harry, please lead the first years to Hagrid's hut," she instructed him. "We wouldn't want them to see the scene here."

"Of course," Harry replied and immediately strode over to the first years, feeling extremely relieved that Barkymort followed him, carrying Voldemort's wand in his mouth.

By the time he led the first years back towards the school building, Malfoy's and Voldemort's bodies were hidden under a disillusion charm. Severus, Poppy and Susan were still standing around the spot. _'Minerva probably went inside to call the Aurors,'_ Harry thought.

"Harry, stay here, I'll take over," Susan offered, and Harry gladly agreed and proceeded to sit down in the grass together with Barkymort.

"Harry, are you feeling all right?" Severus asked in concern, as he leaned down and pressed a cold hand against Harry's forehead.

"Not really," Harry admitted. "I just hope they won't do anything to Barkymort," he added in a whisper, causing his father to shake his head in determination.

"No Harry, he only defended you. On the contrary, he's a hero," Severus replied in a firm voice. "Minerva is contacting the French and the British Ministry of Magic, and they'll probably send Aurors to collect the bodies. If there is any consequence at all, it'll be that both Susan and you will receive the Order of Merlin first class for getting rid of the Dark Lord," he added, smirking.

"No thank you. We didn't do anything. Only Barkymort did and saved our lives," Harry replied in determination, before he asked in a small voice, "Dad, may I return to my room, please?"

"I'll accompany you," Poppy spoke up and quietly promised Severus to remain with Harry for the time being, knowing that he was not only ill but also still in shock by the earlier events.

HP

Like Severus had expected, Susan and Harry were both awarded the Order of Merlin first class, although they both emphasized that they had not done anything to vanquish the evil wizards.

'Just accept it,' Severus instructed his children, telepathically. 'They can't award the Order of Merlin to a dog.'

Finally, the children accepted the awards, even if they felt that it was totally undeserved. "Barkymort, you're the best," Harry told his familiar, when they were back in his room after the small ceremony that had taken place in the Hall Magnifique. "I'll be able to buy lots of treats for you from that money."

"I think he doesn't need anything else," Susan threw in, chuckling, as she pointed at Barkymort, who was happily chewing what was left of Voldemort's wand.

HP

Just a few days after the British Minister of Magic had travelled to France to award the children the Order of Merlin, the French Minister of Magic visited the Nice school.

"I'm aware that you already received the Order of Merlin first class," Minister Duval addressed Susan and Harry. "Nevertheless, we'd also like to thank you for vanquishing two evil wizards in our country."

"Minister..."

"... We didn't do anything..."

"... Our dog vanquished them..."

"... to protect us," Susan and Harry explained.

The Minister smiled. "Nevertheless I'd like to do you a favour. Is there anything that you'd like to have?" Seeing that the children stared at him in confusion, he added, "Like for example a one thousand Gaulleons voucher for the shopping centre in Marseilles or such?"

"I know something," Harry spoke up, thoughtfully, glancing at Susan. He had only once spoken about the matter with his sister, however, her first reaction had been to assure him that she was in. Slightly hesitantly, he explained to the friendly Minister about the plan that he had already been nursing for about two years.

Minister Duval remained pensive for a moment, before he replied, "I'm sure that it would be highly appreciated by the wizards and witches in Southern France, and I promise that I'll do anything to support your project. When exactly are you going to finish school?" he then asked.

"We're now going to be seventh years, so we'll finish our tenth year in four years' time," Harry explained, smiling. "I know that it's still a while, especially since we still need to take our masteries afterwards, but..." He slowly trailed off, glancing at his sister.

"Thank you very much, Minister," Susan added. "Your help in this matter will be highly appreciated."

The Minister nodded, seemingly contented. "I'll speak with my colleagues, and sometime during the next year, or maybe two years," he added, thoughtfully, "you'll receive a suggestion from us."

The children profusely thanked the Minister, before they escorted him to the Portal leading to Marseille, as the Minister insisted on travelling like wizards and witches in this area would do to visit Nice.

"Harry, you're brilliant," Susan told her brother, when they slowly walked back towards the school with Barkymort in tow. "Maybe we should ask Hermione and Neville if they're interested joining us though," she suggested.

"Of course," Harry replied, smiling. "I'm sure they'll be in, oh well, at least I hope so," he added, trying to imagine Hermione's reaction. "It's still early enough to tell them in about two years' time though."

HP

If Severus had assumed that the awards from the British and the French Ministries of Magic were the only after effects of the event that had occurred on the first of July, he was mistaken. The other result was that Draco Malfoy returned to Hogwarts.

As soon as Minister Duval had left, Susan suddenly remembered that they now could as well invite Draco for Harry's birthday. 'That's a good idea,' Harry agreed and immediately sat down to write a letter to his friend. He explained that the death of Draco's father had been an accident caused by Barkymort, before he invited his friend for his birthday and at the same time asked if he was going to return to the Nice school.

"Also tell him about the French class," Susan, who had been reading over Harry's shoulder, instructed him.

Harry obeyed and was happy when he received a reply a few days later.

_'Harry,_

_It's not your fault but Father's. He was the one to do evil things together with the Dark Lord. It's a relief that they're both gone before more innocent people would have had to die._

_Of course I will come to your birthday, and Mum is going to contact Professor McGonagall to enrol me for the next school year and for the French course._

_Looking forward to meeting you,_

_Draco'_

HP

_'Thank Merlin Draco doesn't think I'm responsible for his father's death,'_ Harry thought in relief. On the one hand, he was incredibly happy that Voldemort and Malfoy were both gone and could not harm him anymore. On the other hand, however, all his hopes of finding out which spell Malfoy had cast on him and how to cancel it had completely vanished.

_'Maybe I should tell Dad and Poppy about our plans,'_ he thought. _'Perhaps I could skip some classes like Defence and take more specific classes so that I'd be able to take the necessary exams earlier.'_

He was brought back to reality when Felix toddled into his room, waving a children's book, which he pressed into Harry's face, enquiring, "Hawwy wee boo?"

"All right little one," Harry replied, smiling, before he pulled his small brother onto his lab and read the booklet to him.

Felix thoroughly enjoyed himself and smiled, happily. However, when Harry finished reading, he slid down from his brother's lab and climbed onto his bed, where Barkymort was relaxing, chewing his recent favourite toy.

"Baba," Felix shouted, throwing his arms around the dog's head.

Barkymort eagerly began to lick the small boy's face over and over until they both drifted off to sleep.

_'They're so funny,'_ Harry thought in amusement, _'both Barkymort and Felix.'_ Knowing that his dog would take good care of his little brother, Harry left the room to look for his sister.

HP

The remaining few days of the holidays until Harry's birthday passed in a blur. To Harry's devastation, the full moon fell onto the day after his birthday, so that his condition was not the best when his classmates arrived. Everyone was absolutely excited about the fact to be able to return to school a month earlier in order to attend the French intensive course that was scheduled to commence on the first of August.

Harry's class had their French course every morning, while Claudine taught the mixed class from students of all other classes during the afternoon. The soon-to-be seventh years mostly spent the afternoons on the beach, swimming or playing Quidditch, and they thoroughly enjoyed themselves spending part of their holidays together.

Claudine was not only very nice but also turned out to be a wonderful teacher, and Harry and his classmates were so motivated that they often practised speaking French to each other when they spent the evenings in their tree house. By the end of the holidays, the whole class was able to conduct an easy conversation in French.

HP

It was on the evening before the remaining students were due to arrive for the new school year, when the class spent the evening in the common room due to Harry being ill and not allowed to leave the common room. "Why does the full moon always have to be on times like the last evening of the holidays?" Harry mumbled to Susan, who was sitting on the edge of the sofa, where Harry was resting.

Unfortunately, others had heard his little outburst as well, and a conversation about his condition, the spell that had caused it and the question about possible ways to find a cure developed, causing Harry to inwardly groan in annoyance.

Unable to feign being asleep, he decided to divert everyone's attention by a different method and proceeded to tell them about Susan's and his plan for the future.

Five minutes of eager conversation between his classmates followed, before everyone agreed, "You'll need us all, and we're in."

_tbc..._

_Thanks to my dear readers who always leave me a kind comment. I really appreciate it!_


	17. Chapter 17

**The Nice School of Magic**  
><strong>by Healer Pomfrey<strong>

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
>I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.<em>

_**This story is COMPLETELY AU. If you don't likt it, don't read it!**_

* * *

><p>Before Harry's foggy mind registered what happened, the Weasley twins produced a huge parchment and magically added the names of all classmates, before they made a list of what each of them wanted to do. Harry just began to wonder if he was delirious, when Poppy entered the common room.<p>

"From tomorrow onwards, I'm going to be your head of the year again," she informed them and, when everyone began to cheer, knowing that the first head that they had ever had had been one of the best so far, instructed them, "Off to bed with you now." With that she turned to Harry and motioned him to wait, before she quickly checked his temperature and spelled two potions right into his system. She gently helped him upstairs and tucked him in, promising to come back for his next dose of potions in the morning.

"Thank you, Aunt Poppy," Harry mumbled, already drifting off to sleep.

HP

When Harry's mind turned to awareness in the morning, he wondered if he had really spoken with the whole class about their plans. However, during the following weeks, the topic came up from time to time, making him realise that indeed all of their classmates intended to join Susan and him.

_'I'll speak with Poppy, as soon as I have the chance to speak with her in private,'_ Harry resolved, knowing that they still had much time to plan everything, unaware that he would sooner than expected have enough time to spend alone with the healer.

HP

One day at breakfast, Harry received a letter from Albus Dumbledore.

_'Harry,_

_Congratulations, my boy, for vanquishing Voldemort. I'm glad that you were lucky enough to get rid of him. I wanted to help you, but your father took you away. Never forget this._

_Albus Dumbledore'_

_'Huh,'_ Harry thought in confusion. _'What a strange letter.'_ He looked up in bewilderment when the letter all of a sudden vanished into thin air. _'What was that?'_ he wondered, causing his friends to enquire about the letter.

As soon as during the first morning class, Harry suddenly began to feel very unwell. _'It's as if it was the full moon and I had done a lot of magic,'_ he thought, as a violent shiver shook his body.

Of course his predicament did not go unnoticed by his observing sister, who instructed Hermione to inform their next teacher that she was going to take Harry to the hospital room.

"It's all right, I'll go with Harry," Hermione replied, knowing that their next class was Latin, which Susan should better not miss, as she really had problems with that subject.

Susan grudgingly agreed, casting a worried look at Harry, and Hermione accompanied Harry to the hospital room, realising in concern that the boy weakly leaned onto her arm as they walked in a slow speed. She made Harry lie down in the first bed next to the healer's office and sat on the edge of his bed, while they waited for the healer to arrive from the class that she was just teaching.

Finally, Pomfrey bustled into the room and immediately began to wave her wand over Harry.

"You caught the basilisk pox," she finally spoke up, giving Harry a critical look, before she asked Hermione, "What happened?"

"Harry received a strange letter at breakfast," Hermione replied, looking questioningly at Harry.

"It was from Dumbledore," Harry mumbled and informed the healer about the content.

"The letter vanished into thin air," Hermione added, causing the healer's expression to turn grim.

"Misty," Poppy called her personal elf. "Please fetch Professor Snape here and ask the headmistress to cancel this morning's Potions classes." Turning to Hermione, she said, "You may go back to class. Please inform your teachers that Harry is in the hospital room."

"Professor," Hermione spoke up in a soft voice, "may I perhaps assist Professor Snape? I suppose that he has to brew a potion for Harry as quickly as possible?"

The healer's expression softened some. "Let's ask Professor Snape, but I think that's a good idea, especially since he also has to brew a preventive potion for everyone else."

"You'll be stuck here for at least two weeks," Poppy informed Harry, when Hermione had left together with the Potions Master.

"I wanted to speak with you in private anyway," Harry mumbled, before he succumbed to the light sleeping potion that the healer had unobtrusively spelled into his system in lack of any potion that would help remedying his symptoms for the time being.

HP

During the following two weeks, Harry felt much too miserable to speak with anyone, let alone discuss important matters with the healer. He merely cuddled with Barkymort, who invisibly remained under his covers almost around the clock. Only at the end of his second week in the hospital room did Harry begin to feel more alert. Unfortunately, it was just the weekend of the full moon.

On Sunday morning, he spoke with Poppy about his plans. "Once when Mum and Dad took us to Paris, they told us that there was a magical hospital in Paris but not in Marseille. Ever since then, I've had the plan to open a magical hospital here after finishing school," he admitted to the healer, who looked at him in clear amazement.

"That's a very good idea, Harry, and if there's anything that I can do for you, I'll of course support you," she promised in a soft voice that made Harry smile.

He let out a long sigh, before he explained, "Not only Susan, but our whole class agreed to work together with me. At first, I was surprised, but maybe nineteen people is not too many to run a magical hospital." He looked questioningly at the healer.

Poppy chuckled. "Your class is really special," she replied, smiling. "Well, in order to entertain a whole hospital, you'll need several healers, several potions masters as well as mediwitches and people who deal with the financial aspects."

Harry grinned. "The twins have made a list, where everyone put in what they want to do, and I think that we've covered everything. It's just that they all have to see that they get the necessary schooling. That's probably the biggest problem."

"I don't think that it's such a problem," Poppy informed him, pensively. "I'll be willing to give all those who want to become healers special classes, so that they should be able to take their healer's exams shortly after the NEWTs. However," she added, sighing deeply, "I wouldn't recommend for you to become a healer."

"But..." Harry replied, feeling his body heat up as he became very upset.

"Harry, calm down," Poppy said in a firm voice.

"It's just that I really want to become a healer in order to be able to do some research and maybe sometime be able to heal myself," Harry replied, teary-eyed.

"I know that, Harry," Poppy reassured him. "However, you'd only be able to properly work for two weeks every month. If you, for example, became a potions master, you'd be able to work almost every day, maybe except for the days just around the full moon."

"That's true," Harry had to admit.

"Don't you think that, for example Hermione and Susan, would do everything possible to try healing you if they became healers?" Poppy queried, looking at him in expectation.

"That's true," Harry could not help admitting.

"Where are you going to build your hospital?" Poppy enquired, causing Harry to sigh.

"I don't know yet," he said and explained that he had asked Minister Duval to provide some land for him in the surroundings of the school and the portal to Marseille, which he could buy from the money that he had received together with the Order of Merlin. "Susan and I got one million Gaulleons each," he told the healer.

"Galleons, Harry, not Gaulleons," Poppy contradicted. "Galleons are used in Britain. I don't know how many Gaulleons that is nowadays, but at least it's a huge amount of money that'll be more than enough to buy some land and build the hospital."

"I hope he'll be able to provide us with some land at all," Harry said, doubtfully.

"He'll surely be," Poppy reassured him. "It only has to be a small piece of land anyway. You could even take a small part from the school, for example, the land that's behind Hagrid's hut. It could be enlarged with magic, so that it would be large enough to build a huge hospital."

"Oh, I didn't think about that at all," Harry replied, surprised. "That's good to know."

HP

On the evening after the full moon, Poppy accompanied Harry back to the seventh years' common room, where she spoke with the students about Harry's project and asked everyone about their idea of what they wanted to do at the hospital, provided that they all wanted to work together like Harry had told her.

"I know that it's still very early and you still have more than three years before you finish your NEWTs," she said, "however, if you already know what you wish to do, Professors Snape, McGonagall and I would be willing to teach you accordingly. You would be able to skip some of your usual subjects - apart from the core subjects - in favour of specific Healing, Potions or Business classes."

Realising that a great commotion arose following her offer, she decided, "Those who wish to become a healer, please come to my office on Saturday morning. Those, who want to become a potions master or mistress, please go to Professor Snape's office on Saturday after breakfast, those who need lessons in Business studies, go to see Professor McGonagall on Saturday morning." She remained thoughtful for a moment, before she continued, those, who don't know what they need to study or even what they want to do, remain here at the common room. I will speak with my other colleagues as well and send one or two of them, who might be able to help you, to your common room."

"Thank you so much, Professor," Cedric was the first to find words, while everyone else babbled in apparent excitement.

"You're very welcome," Poppy replied, smiling, before she left the room.

HP

Harry quietly returned to his dormitory, recalling what Poppy had told him about becoming a healer. Of course he could understand her reasoning and knew that she was right, nevertheless, it had been his idea to become a healer and found the hospital, mainly driven by the hope that he'd be able to heal himself. He was just about to drift off to sleep, when Hermione and Susan stormed into the room.

"Harry!" they shouted, clearly surprised that he had left the common room without a word.

"Are you all right?" Susan asked in apparent concern.

"I can't become a healer," Harry informed them, trying hard to fight back the tears that appeared at the back of his eyes, as he told them about his conversation with Poppy.

"Harry, she's right," Hermione said, sighing. "I'll study to become a healer, and I'll try to find a way to cure you, even if I can't promise anything," she reassured him.

"I'm going to study potions together with you," Susan told him. "We're going to have much fun."

"That's true," Harry could not help agreeing at the thought of having his whole class with him at the hospital.

HP

All of a sudden, a bright flash lit the room, and Fawkes appeared on the foot end of Harry's bed.

#Hey nestling, I hope you don't mind that I took the liberty of bonding to you,# the phoenix trilled in a soft voice that sounded very soothing to Harry's mind.

"Of course not," he replied in surprise, staring at the beautiful phoenix with a combination of surprise and amazement.

_tbc..._

_A huge thanks to the kind readers who continuously review. I appreciate it very much!_


	18. Chapter 18

**The Nice School of Magic**  
><strong>by Healer Pomfrey<strong>

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
>I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.<em>

_**This story is COMPLETELY AU. If you don't likt it, don't read it!**_

* * *

><p>"You're a phoenix, aren't you?" Hermione asked in apparent amazement. "You're beautiful."<p>

#Yes, I'm a fire phoenix, and I've been the old grumpy one's, oh sorry, Albus Dumbledore's familiar for a small eternity# Fawkes replied, causing Harry to chuckle.

"Can you understand him?" Susan enquired, giving Harry a sharp look.

"Yes," Harry replied in confusion and repeated the bird's words.

"What happened to Professor Dumbledore?" Susan asked with apparent interest.

#He's gone now, but recently, he wasn't as pure as he should be, so I was considering leaving his nest anyway# Fawkes informed them, fluffing his feathers in a huff.

_'I'll have to ask Dad about it. Maybe he knows something,'_ Harry thought, recalling that it had been Dumbledore who had made him ill with the basilisk pox.

HP

In the morning, Severus strode by the seventh years' table and showed Harry the front page of the Daily Prophet, from where the red lettered headline caught his eye.

_'Former Headmaster of Hogwarts and Head of the Wizengamot  
>Albus Dumbledore dies chocking on a Lemon Drop'<em>

_'Serves him right for poisoning me,'_ Harry could not help thinking, while Susan voiced, "Good riddance."

"I wonder if Dumbledore's death..."

"... has something to do with Harry's poisoning," the twins spoke up, when the seventh years were enjoying their evening in their tree house.

"I didn't do anything," Harry replied, wearily, causing everyone to laugh.

"Not you, Harry," Hermione reassured him.

"But there are enough adults who'd surely be happy to avenge you," Susan added, grinning.

HP

It was almost a year later, half through their eighth year, that Harry received a much awaited letter from the French Ministry of Magic.

Minister Duval sent him a map of a huge piece of land as well as a confirmation that the land marked in the map was the property of Harry Snape, born on 31 July, 1980.

"Show me," Susan demanded.

"Where exactly is it?" Hermione wanted to know.

"It's the property adjacent to our park," Harry replied in absolute amazement. "How cool is that?"

The eighth years decided that it was extremely cool and proceeded to spend much time on planning the soon to-be-built hospital building.

HP

While the students studied for their NEWTs and at the same time for their masteries, healing exams and other subjects needed for their future occupation in the hospital, the headmistress contacted Minister Duval. After profusely thanking him for the support of Harry's idea and for giving him the land for free, she asked if he could recommend an architect who would be able and willing to build the hospital according to her students' wishes.

Harry and his friends were lucky. Due to his connections and - of course - his position, Minister Duval was able to hire the wizard known as the best magical architect in France for them. Shortly before the beginning of their last school year, Harry, Susan and Hermione met with Monsieur Dupont and handed him a sketch of how they wanted the hospital to be. All of their classmates had worked together to produce the sketch, and it was extremely detailed.

By the time, they had finished their NEWTs, the hospital building was completed. While Alicia and Roger spent the following months with the equipment of the inside of the building, apart from studying to become a mediwitch respectively mediwizard, Cedric took his healer's exam at a magical hospital in Tokyo, where he also studied Laser magic, Hermione, Mary and Hannah completed their healer's exams in France, Neville took his Herbology mastery, and Terence and Adrian studied Finance with the goblins at the small Gringotts branch in Marseille. The Weasley twins as well as Harry and Susan took their potions masteries, and at the same time Harry and Susan succeeded in developing the wolves cure together with their father.

HP

When the Nice Medical Centre for Magical Maladies opened its doors just a year later, it soon became famous, not only in France but all over Europe, for its specialities of Laser magic as well as the wolves cure. An additional attraction of the hospital that brought many visitors to Nice was the hospital's special souvenir shop, in which Fred and George Weasley sold prank potions and other prank and entertainment objects for patients and visitors - with huge success.

They soon realised that they were in dire need of more staff, and two years after the opening of the hospital, Draco, Ginny and Luna joined the staff as additional healers, and Felix became the Potions Masters' assistant, even while he was still a student.

HP

After three years of leading the well known hospital, head potions master Harry and head healer Hermione as well as Susan and Neville decided to get married in a huge double wedding that took place on the combined grounds of the school and the hospital under participation of thousands of wizards and witches.

While Harry presented his new wife with a computer, for which he had spent three years trying to make it work in the magical world, his wife handed him a small phial.

"Harry, I hope it'll work. Oh well, I'm fairly sure it will," she said, smiling. "It's a combination of a potion and a couple of charms. When you take the potion, I'll only have to cast a certain spell at you, and you should be cured from Mr. Malfoy's dark spell."

"Let me try right away," Harry said, eagerly, and gulped down the potion, before he looked at his wife, who immediately began to wave her wand at him.

"That's it, dear," she said in determination. "How do you feel now?"

"I didn't feel too bad in the first place," Harry admitted, "although I could already sense the full moon. But now I feel completely well. Thank you so much. You're absolutely the best," he replied, feverishly trying to suppress the tears that welled in his eyes.

HP

When Minerva took the two couples aside and asked where they intended to spend their honeymoon, she receive a quadruple chuckle in return.

"We're going to spend our honeymoon at the school..."

"... in our old tree house..."

"... There's no better place..."

"... for a holiday," Harry and Susan informed her, grinning.

"Well, our school is surely a nice school of magic," Minerva replied, returning a fond smile.

_'And our Medical Centre even nicer,'_ Harry thought to Barkymort, _'apart from the tree houses.'_

**The End**

_Thanks to the kind reviewers for their support throughout this story!_


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